And A Child to Lead Him
by DeppsLadyRosebud
Summary: More inside... A routine hunt goes terribly wrong and a young life is lost. Sam Winchester can still see the blood of a child embedded into his hands the tragic and unfortunate accident pushing him closer and closer to the edge. ENDING REVISED
1. One Wrong Move

-1**Summary: ** A routine hunt goes terribly wrong and a young life is lost. Sam Winchester can still see the blood of a child embedded into his hands the tragic and unfortunate accident pushing him closer and closer to the edge. Finally he finds himself rewarded with blissful ignorance in a place far from reality, a familiar voice calls to him until it is impossible to ignore and he is drawn into a second chance at the life he always thought was going to be his. Happiness and Joy, comfort and consistency… And the love of the one woman he thought he had lost forever are once again his… Or are they?

Dean Winchester watches helplessly as his brothers grip on reality slips further and further… Can he save the one person he has promised to watch over and protect? Or will he lose the only thing in his life that he has left?

Fighting against time, fighting against reality, fighting against themselves two brothers are in for a fight unlike any they have ever fought before.

_Don't know. Don't own. Don't Sue._

**And A Child To Lead Him**

_Chapter One: One Wrong Move_

**February 12th 2008:**

Sam Winchester sat sluggishly in the passenger's seat of his brothers 1967 Chevy impala, rubbing feverishly at his temples and trying to will the throbbing pain behind his eyes away. He knew however that this was a vain gesture, this wasn't just some everyday headache, or a migraine even… This was the aftermath of another stomach knotting future forecasting vision, and the only way the pain was going to subside was to wait it out like the aftershocks of a horrid earthquake.

They were headed in the direction of Allenhurst, New Jersey, a city so small, Sam doubted you could even find it on a map with a magnifying glass. He hated these small towns, he always felt like he was stepping into some Stephen King novel, a classic page turner where the outcome was destined to be disastrous.

"Tell me again what you saw." His brother's voice drew him out of his own thoughts and back into the real world.

Glancing over he offered the older man a small sign before speaking dropping his hands from his temples in an attempt to seem more composed, "Ummm… A young girl, couldn't have been more than ten, dark hair, running… Being chased through the town… The streets are bare as though everyone has just disappeared, it's only her, her and this thing-"

"The Custodis - Liberi?" Dean asked with a raised brow.

"Cust-odis Li-ber-I" Sam couldn't help but correct him clearing his throat.

"Yeah that… What's the translation again?"

"Keeper of Children."

"Creepy… "

"Yeah." The younger of the two swallowed hard and shook his head a little, "according to research this thing is fairly new, it's only been around about 400 years or so… It harvests the children and then feeds off their blood for weeks… sometimes months even before finally killing them. The blood of a child provides it with strength, energy, and allows it to keep feeding… Hunting…"

"Now there's a bed time story for you. And the only way to kill it is your standard silver bullet?"

"Yep, since the demon is a descendant of the classic shape shifter."

"Fabulous… Anyway continue."

"Well, there's not much else to tell… He catches up to her in front of a bike shop, Allenhurst Bike Shop… She screams… And…." Sam visibly shook at the memory closing his eyes again. He hated being directly connected to the grim fate of the unknowing human race… he hated seeing these things and knowing that they were in fact going to happen, and he hated all of it even worse when it was an innocent child wrapped in the thick of it….

Dean frowned a little and gripped tighter to the steering wheel making the silent decision not to push for the story to continue but still he needed a few details… Markers to look for.. "Was there anything around, you said the town was pretty much baron, but were there any signs? Anything?"

"Not pretty much baron Dean, it was completely and totally empty… We're talking The Town That Dreaded Sundown here… But ummm there were a few things, There's a neon open sign and an uhhhh Elvis in the window…"

"Elvis as in the king of rock n' roll?"

"The one and only…."

"Well it's good to know these people aren't completely cut off from modern society."

"Yeah… How many more miles?"

"Only about 115, just sit tight and we'll be there in no time alright?" Dean couldn't help but cast another weary gaze in his little brother's direction, he could tell how disturbed, how worried Sam was… It was a state that even for compassionate and big hearted Sam Winchester, was slightly unexpected and set an uneasy feeling inside Dean's stomach…

With Dean behind the wheel it took only another hour and fifteen minutes before they were swinging into the parking lot of a not so surprisingly empty small hotel near the center of the tiny Mayberry-esque town where their new hunt had lead them. There was only one other car in the parking lot, a small grey Sedan which both brother guessed to be that of the night clerk as they made their way inside.

"Cooshy." Sam mumbled under his breath looking around there was a small desk near the back of the room behind the counter which the two men now stood in front of, nothing on the horribly painted pastel yellow walls a side from a single black and white photo of some not so fortunate looking family that hung on the wall by the door in a decrepit wooden frame.

Therefore it was again not surprising when the wooden floorboards creaked beneath his feet as Sam bounced on his heels. Definitely horror movie material this place was.

"You we're expecting the Hilton?" Dean quipped leaning over and pushing down on the small silver bell. "Hey maybe we'll get lucky and Lurch will be our bell hop." He joked as the small door that obviously led into some sort of back office opened and an older… Much older gentleman with white hair approached the front desk.

"Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't hear you come in…"

"Well there is a surprise." it was Dean's turn to mumble now his face looking in Sam's direction mouth hardly moving, his retort earning him a swift and hard sock from his brother before Sam stepped forward a little closer smiling kindly at the man.

"That's quite alright sir…"

"Oh please call me Alfred. Sir was my grandfather."

Dean snorted at that with a snicker putting his hand over his mouth to keep another remark from flying freely into the air… as they often did.

Sam glared his jaw twitching, nostrils flaring and then releasing as he shook his head retrieving his wallet from his back pocket, "Alright then, Alfred. I'm Sam and this is my brother Dean… We need a room."

"How long will you two be staying for?"

"We're not quite sure yet. Maybe a week or so…. Just needed to get away from the busy city life for a while and decided that the smaller the town the more relaxation we would find you know?"

"Well, you picked a hell of a place then boy, I'm sure that you took notice, but you two are the only customers… have been all month, we don't get many passers through town these days… Never have, not to sure why my granddaddy even opened a hotel around here… Not much need for it… But still family business and all that."

Sam nodded kindly making sure to keep the smile pressed on his lips as he reminded himself why he rarely found himself indulging in conversations with the elderly… Because they had so many stories to tell… And they wanted to tell them all to every stranger they met on the street, in the supermarket, or at their family owned hotel front desk.

"Two singles I take it?"

"Yessir… I mean Alfred. That'll do us just fine."

The older man held out two keys to room 6 and Dean found himself wondering if 6 was the last room they had in a hotel like this one… Hell in a hotel like this one he doubted they needed more than one room… But again he kept his comments to himself as he retrieved one of the keys smiling graciously imitating his brothers forced grin. "Thanks."

Sam socked his brother again the minute they were out of eyeshot from the front office the glare returning to his eyes as he did so with a huff.

"Ow, what the hell was that for…."

"Why do you gotta be so damn rude to every person we meet… It's not going to kill you to be nice once in a while"

"I wasn't being rude!"

"Yeah whatever… just try not to be so nasty while were here okay, this is a small town and I don't want these people ganging up on us and burning us at the stake because of your smart mouth."

"They stopped burning people at the stake a long time ago Sammy, no need to worry, these days, they just take you out back put a bullet in you and bury the body."

"That's comforting." Sam whispered unlocking the door, "Thanks."

"Just glad I could help." The other man made his way into the room and flopped down on the bed closest to the door dropping his bag at his feet and sighing, "I saw the bike shop on the way in, Elvis and all it's about two miles down the road, we'll settle in here then scope it out and see what we see, ask around in the morning about this kid you saw see if we can get a name, an address or something."

"see if there have been any others disappearing …"

"You know what I don't get though? Why here, why some small shit-splat middle of nowhere town like this one? I mean there can't be all that much fresh meat for him to chow down…"

"I don't know." Sam offered up a few seconds later after mulling it over, "easier access I guess…"

**February 13th 2008: **

"Daisy Pierson." Sam let the little girls name escape from his lips for the tenth time since they had heard it earlier that day, as the two Winchester brothers now sat parked out in front of the small bike shop on the corner of main street, the infamous Elvis Priestley cut out owned by most middle aged American woman peering out at them from the shops window. Giving the eldest of the two men a small case of the creeps.

Tearing his eyes away from it and back to the man in the passengers seat he rolled his neck slowly with a sign before rubbing the bridge of his nose. "And she's the first one? You didn't dig up any other suspicious disappearances in the area…"

"Nope. No mysterious deaths, no missing children nothing, the biggest upset around here in the last 20 years was the death of the town matriarch last summer, Mrs. Annabell Warren who died at the age of 102 from natural causes…"

"Well that's odd… Maybe your visions have finally begun to get a head start on things and we can stop this fugly bastard before he claims anyone at all…"

"That'd be a first."

"Yeah a welcomed one… You get anything out of good old Al back at the hotel?"

"Anything useful." The younger man shook his head, "He had a hundred stories to tell, but none of them had anything of interest to the child or Custodis - Liberi…"

Dean laughed, "Sorry man, it's the dirtiest part of the job, but someone has to do it…"

"Yeah well, Next time you're on history detail."

Dean rolled his eyes and resumed watch out of the windshield of his car, something about all of this… this whole scenario…. This hunt… seemed off, like there were pieces missing, still Sam's visions were not to be taken lightly so he said nothing. He buried his suspicions and kept them to himself, figuring giving Sam more to worry and fuss over would only complicate the situation further.

The clock on the dashboard turned from 11:52 to 11:53 as Dean cradled his .45 to his chest, the small piece already loaded with six silver bullets and ready for firing as he let out a bored and tired yawn glancing toward his brother, "Sammy, maybe the thing isn't coming tonight… Maybe the wires got crossed in transmission somewhere and-"

The older man's words were silenced as Sam's hazel colored orbs widened and his finger came up pointing out into the quiet, empty, blackened street before him. "Dean… DEAN!"

Both men were out of the car in a matter of seconds with their guns drawn as a young girl in a white nightgown headed their way, screams irrupting from her lips, her features etched in fear. She was the same child Sam had seen in his vision, the Same child they had been keeping their eyes on all day, watching from a far as she left for school in the morning, played with her friends at recess, and returned home at approximately 3:15 pm to the small mint green house around the corner from the before mentioned bike shop.

"You're alright now…" Sam whispered comfortingly as he met her half way, the small child panting and gasping for breath as he swooped her protectively into his arms… "You're alright now, I've got you…"

"He's coming, he's going to get me…. Please help me…" Her fear filled and broken sob was quieted as Sam pressed her trembling face into the shoulder of his jacket shushing her.

"You're safe now…"

Dean who had been watching the scene before him only for a second turned back to face front as he heard a new set of footsteps approaching.

It was by far one of the ugliest things he had ever seen… And Dean had seen a lot of ugly things in his days of hunting…

Eyes the glowed a deep and disturbing red against the night sky, pale, wrinkled skin clocked by a black robe and hood… A long thin nose that came to a sharp point at it's end…

"Dude.. Disgusting…" He quipped quietly more to himself as he aimed the gun and fired off double rounds.

But this thing was fast, to fast and moved before the bullets could hit, causing a woosh of electricity to crackle in the air.

"SAM?!?! Where the hell did it-" Dean felt a strong grip against his throat and without meaning to dropped the gun to the ground, his fingers coming up to defend himself weakly against the tight grip. "Sam-…."

Eyes wider now Sam blinked and set the child down, "Katie listen to me alright? You stay right here… "

Frozen with fear, the girl nodded her innocent eyes welling and spilling over once more with tears.

Managing to use his foot to kick the gun Dean felt only slightly at ease when Sam retrieved the piece and was aiming it at the Demons back side closing his eyes to keep the smoke from them, and firing away…

What happened next, the events that followed were unclear even to those involved, three shots were fired, and with the third came a shrill and piercing cry, Not the welcomed shrill of a dying demon…. Not a joyous sound….

A painful one…. A heart wrenching one, the cry of a child.

Sam's eyes flew open just in time to see the young girl he had come to protect plummeting toward the ground blood flowing freely from her chest as the lightly slowly went out in her eyes, the color draining from her cheeks…

And the demon, the thing he had been firing at was gone, no sulfur, no ashes, no bones, not even a single stream of smoke… Nothing.

"Oh… oh god…." Sam whispered still holding the .45 out in front of himself his body being over whelmed by a tremble he couldn't hold back, swallowing down thick bile that had found it's way into his wind pie, as he watched Dean drop to his knees next to the motionless child.

The next seconds passed like hours, like an eternity before Dean's eyes came up to meet his again, a sadness, a sympathy placed inside them that Sam hadn't remember ever seeing before as he shook his head slowly…. "She's dead."

His knees refusing to hold him up anymore the younger man quickly found himself crashing into something hard, his world tail spinning his mind racing….

He had come here to save her, come here to protect her… And his hand had killed her.

_So there you have it the beginning to chapter to what I'm sure is going to be a very long and hopefully interesting tale of Sam Winchester! As always you know how I feel about reviews and criticism the more you feed me the faster I'll produce another chapter for you!!!_

**Custodis - Liberi: **Latin translation meaning Keeper of Children

**Cooshy: ** Slang meaning posh, elegant and fashionable, classy: Used by Sam in the S2 episode Crossroad Blues

**Allenhurst, NJ: **Small town in New Jersey, very small town actually population (as of year 2000) 718, and yes the bike shop is a real place there!!!

**The Town That Dreaded Sundown**: 1976 horror film starring Ben Johnson about a Texas Ranger hunts for a hooded serial killer terrorizing the residents of a small town, set in 1946 Arkansas. Losely based on a true story.

**Stephen King: ** Very famous author of amazing horror classics such as The Shinning and Christine

**Shape-Shifter: **Creature thought up by Eric Kripke who can change shape and morph it's self into anyone it comes in contact with, used in the S1 episode Skin and the S2 episode Night Shifter.


	2. Descension

_Thank you so much for your reviews to the first chapter of this story! I promise to try not to disappoint you as things progress… As always Those of you who have read my other works know how much the opinions of my readers mean to me so let me have it, the good, the bad and even the nasty._

**A Child To Lead Him**  
_Chapter Two Descension _

The next seconds passed like hours, like an eternity before Dean's eyes came up to meet his again, a sadness, a sympathy placed inside them that Sam hadn't remember ever seeing before as he shook his head slowly…. "She's dead."

His knees refusing to hold him up anymore the younger man quickly found himself crashing into something hard, his world tail spinning his mind racing….

He had come here to save her, come here to protect her… And his hand had killed her.

A slow and steady rain began to fall from the sky matching, mixing with the tears that filled Sam's now tormented eyes as slowly he rose back to his feet and made his way on wobbling legs toward his brother and the still form of Daisy Pierson .

How had this happened? What had he done? the ghost of her cry rang through his ears continuously as he kneeled down beside her placing a trembling hand against her already cold skin. Her cheeks had drained of their rosy innocence, her gaze now lifeless as he found unblinking eyes staring up at him, ripping into him, burning holes deep and penetrating into his soul.

This was his fault, he had done this… Casualties were a hazard of the job, he had seen many people fall at the hands of unspeakable evil… Innocent lives stolen in the cruel game of cat and mouse he was forced to play on a daily basis with the dark side… But never, never had his hand squeezed a bullet that pierced something... Someone undeserving… Never had he taken a life that was meant to be saved… A child's life…

An innocent life.

The bile that had been rising into his throat quickly spilled from his lips as his stomach lurched and he began wrenching drawing his hand back from her cheek, he had no right to touch her, no right to even look at her… He had stolen her life… Robbed those she loved, those who loved her back of their sweet and innocent child.

"Shit…" Dean mumbled softly still on his knees as he made his way to his brother's side having been watching the slow deterioration of his composure, for the first time in his life unable to think of a word of comfort to offer.

Pulling him back just a little he began to rub slow steady circles on his back and cringed inwardly as the dry heaves began and were quickly mixed with strangled sobs, each one choked out as if even the act of breathing were to much for Sam to handle on his own now… Not after what he had done.

"Easy Sammy… deep breaths." The older man's voice was no more than a whisper as he drew in his own shaky breath and let it out as if to demonstrate his instructions.

Dean's voice seemed a million miles away, Sam could barely hear him as he stared blankly at the body in front of him still trying to piece it all together, trying to figure out where it all had gone so terribly wrong, what he had done to screw everything up….

"H-How?" He managed finally after a minute or two had passed, glassy and blood shot his puppy dog hazel orbs tore themselves away from the child's limp form and came up to meet his brother's sympathetic gaze screaming desperately for some sort of answer….

Even in the darkness of the midnight sky Dean could see them shimmering, tears spilling over and drizzling down Sam's trembling cheeks, "I-I don't know.." He offered up honestly, "It… it was like he drew her to him, he used her as some sort of human shield. There wasn't time for me to even act, the bastard was fast Sam… Faster than anything I've ever seen before…. His hand slipped from my neck as you pulled the trigger and next thing I know she's falling forward and he's gone…"

"I-I shouldn't, shouldn't have closed my eyes, should have been watching…"

"It was so fast Sam, you could of stopped it."

"Are- are you sure she's dead?" Anguish rich in his words Sam leaned forward putting his ear the Daisy's lips and closing his eyes… all he needed was to feel just one breath… one single in hail… a glimmer of hope in his soul that was quickly being devoured by darkness and guilt.

But none came.

"She's gone…" Dean sighed a little as he spoke resting a heavy hand on his little brothers shoulder, "Three bullets…"

"I-I did this…I-I killed her…" Sam stated matter of factly rubbing a hard hand over his face as he pulled back again shaking his head slightly and watching as the blood was only now beginning to stop flowing from the wounds in her chest…

"Don't."

"Don't? Don't what Dean? Don't speak the truth?"

"Sam stop it, there was nothing you could of done I told you that already… It sucks, it sucks big, but sometimes…"

"Shut up Dean, don't you dare say it… Don't you dare tell me that sometimes these things just happen."

"Look man like it or not it's the truth, and no one is getting out of this world alive"

"She was just a child…"

Dean ran his hand through his hair slowly and cleared his throat, he knew that the defense he was offering was a weak one, he knew that Sam was right, that this little girls death was tragic, that she should have had many long healthy years a head of her, but he also knew that if he agreed… if he told Sammy these things it was only going to make matters worse.

"We need to get out of her Sam, before the cops come." He whispered opting to change the subject, "I'm sure someone around here heard the gunshots and called 911..."

"We can't just leave her here!"

"Sammy, she's dead."

"Dean."

"The only thing we can do now is find this thing and waste it alright? How the hell do you plan on doing that if you stay here and let yourself get busted for murder? Now come on lets go."

Dean was right. Sam knew Dean was right, so against the advice of his own heart as he felt the shorter yet stronger man tug on his arm he allowed himself to be pulled up and led toward the car without another word.

Sliding soundlessly into the passengers seat, he felt the engine rev beneath him seconds later, the song on the radio creating a hallowing and mournful uneasiness inside Sam's soul.

_Carry on my wayward son  
There'll be peace when you are done,  
Lay your weary head to rest…._

Don't you cry no more…

Tear unwillingly continuing to silently fall from his eyes he watched out of the rearview mirror as Daisy Pierson's body grew further and further into the distance.

. . . . .

**February 19th 2008:**

_As fast as his legs could carry him, Sam found himself running, running through empty deserted streets, one gut wrenching heart breaking scream after another his only company against the nothingness surrounding him. It was a scream he knew to well, a scream that haunted him both in his waking hours and his dreams._

He needed to find her, needed to save her… But with every turn he made, his feet carrying him so fast that his calves ached, she was no where to be found….

His feet suddenly slow to a stop.

His eyes darting around quickly taking the all to familiar surroundings, The sign above his head reading Main St… The Allenhurst bike shop directly behind him he fights to catch his breath panting desperately for each in take.

The screams are silenced.

Replaced by a laughter, so sweet… So innocent, it causes the air to fall from Sam's lungs. His heart sinking.

He can see her… No more than fifty feet from where he stands on the empty street corner. Her tiny frame moving in circles around the light post. She's skipping to the beat of a familiar song, her voice even sweeter than her laugh.

"Ring around the rosy

Pocket full of posies.

Ashes…Ashes…

We all Fall down!"

The last word is long and drawn out as he can see her turn toward him, her bright vibrant gaze growing fearful and frightened as she spots him.

"Why didn't you Save me Sam?" She asks softly her voice cracking, "You promised me… You promised me I was safe…. You let me fall…. "

The ground disappears from beneath her, her hands out stretched, reaching out for him she begins to plummet into a black abyss of nothingness.

He runs, runs to get to her, runs to save her…

But no matter how fast he goes he can't reach… He doesn't seem to be moving..

He is forced to watch her…

Falling…. Falling…..

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Dean shook his brother worriedly as he heard cries escaping his lips, his body thrashing about the bed in a panicked manner, eyes screwed tightly shut as his chest rose and fell with great difficulty…

"Sammy? SAM WAKE UP!" He called out desperately.

Thrown back into his own body, back into reality Sam's eyes flew open with a sharp much needed intake of breath as his brother's face immediately invaded his view, but Dean's worried eyes weren't the only thing he saw as he sat up quickly.

There she was in the far corner of the room staring at…. Staring into him. Daisy, in her white night gown stained with crimson red, pale and frightened her green eyes glowing like fire as they bore into him with accusation and distain.

Then, as quickly as she appeared, she was gone.

"Sam?" Dean asked worriedly glancing over his shoulder to where the younger man's eyes seemed to be focused and seeing nothing out of the ordinary before shifting his gaze back again. "Sam what is it what's the matter?"

Rubbing his eyes and blinking quickly the still frazzled man shook his head swallowing hard, "Nothing- nothing… just a nightmare…"

"Another one." Dean stated softly accompanying in with a sigh.

"I-I'm fine just go back to sleep…"

"You've got to let this go man, it's been damn near a week…."

"Let it go?" Sam couldn't help the edge of anger that quickly found it's way into his tone, "Dean I killed someone… A little girl, a child…. I can't just let it go alright? It's not that simple."

"So what? You're just going to let it continue to torture you? Keep you up all night for fear that if you fall back asleep your going to have another nightmare?"

"Looks like…."

"Maybe… Maybe we should look into getting you some help man, someone who you can talk to about dealing with all of this." The older brother inside him kicking in Dean's voice was softer now and thick with what Sam immediately recognized as worry.

"I'll be fine Dean, besides it's not like I can just walk into some shrinks office, confess to murdering someone, talk about it and go on my merry way, they would have me locked up in no time."

"True." Dean rubbed his temples slightly before continuing, "I could call Bobby…"

"Bobby is a hunter, not a doctor."

"It was just a suggestion."

"I'll be fine, really, I just need a little more time that's all…"

"Yeah…" It was obvious to both boys by the thick uncertainty in his voice that Dean remained unconvinced, but for the time being he let the subject go… He himself to tired from the events of the last few days to argue anymore.

Giving Sam one last weary glance he made his way back to his own bed and plopped down on to it flicking off the bedside light as he did so… They had remained in this little town long enough and tomorrow they would once again find themselves on the open road in search of their next hunt.

This one Dean feared would forever remain unfinished, the demon had vanished, there were no more deaths in the area…. No more reason for them to stick around… And besides he had reasoned with himself earlier that night, getting Sam out of here was quickly becoming first priority, the sooner he got him away from this place, the sooner Dean hoped the memory of that night would dull and he would get his brother back again…

If only it were that simple.

Turning over on to his side against his will, Sam closed his eyes cringing inwardly at the face still staring back at him, he was awake, and she was still there…

_"you're never going to forget…." _He heard her whisper to him even though her lips were not moving, he swore he could feel her breath against his ear, sending a chill down his spine…

_"I won't let you. You killed me and now you will be the one to suffer…._

Ring around the rosy…

Pocket full of posies

Ashes… Ashes

We all fall down…"

This time her voice was not sweet nor innocent, this time her words were cold and vengeful, the laugh that fallowed sending ice through the young man's veins.

_"You shouldn't have let me fall Sam…. You shouldn't have let me die….._

You shouldn't have killed me…."

. . . . .

_So, I hope that this chapter was better than the last and that I'm not dragging things out to long for those of you who are reading! More to come soon I promise._

**Descension : **The act of going downward; descent; falling or sinking; declension; degradation

**Ring Around the Rosy:** Popular children's nursery rhyme, supposedly written about the black plague: Ring around the rosy children's ring game have their origin in English history . The historical period dates back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague) or even before when the first outbreak of the Plague hit England in the 1300's. The symptoms of the plague included a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin (Ring around the rosy). Pockets and pouches were filled with sweet smelling herbs ( or posies) which were carried due to the belief that the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The term "Ashes Ashes" refers to the cremation of the dead bodies! The death rate was over 60 and the plague was only halted by the Great Fire of London in 1666 which killed the rats which carried the disease which was transmitting via water sources. The English version of "Ring around the rosy" replaces Ashes with (A-tishoo, A-tishoo) as violent sneezing was another symptom of the disease.

**Son used: **Carry on My Wayward son by Kansas


	3. Beast of Burden

And A Child to Lead Him  
_Chapter 3 Beast of Burden_

_**February 27th 2008:**_

Dean sighed half heartedly as he studied the younger man sitting across from him, Sam appeared to be more than worse for the wear these days. At first Dean had attempted to ignore the distance in his brother's once lively brown eyes, pretended not to notice the slight tremble in his hands that accompanied even the simplest of tasks.

But now it was becoming impossible to turn a blind eye, to keep telling himself that Sammy was going to be aright, that he was going to fight this grief that had consumed him and come out swinging like he had so many times before.

The disheveled from placed in front of him staring blankly into a bowl of uneaten cereal had dropped a good ten pounds in the last couple of weeks, his skin was pale, eye lids permanently sitting at half mass shielding his tired and swollen orbs… but that wasn't even the worst of it, what scared Dean Winchester more than anything was not the physical state he found his brother to be in but the mental.

He couldn't remember the last time Sam had slept through the night, the last time he hadn't been awakened by a choked sob or a strangled scream to find his little brother panting for breath his skin clammy and sweat drenched from the same nightmare that had been plaguing him repeatedly over and over day in and day out.

Fear, there was so much fear inside of him that even in the hours of day light he would jump at the chirp of a cricket, or the presence of his own shadow… As though something… Someone were stalking him and he knew it was only a matter of time before they would find him.

There had been countless times when Dean would find him staring blankly into nothingness, and as if the act in itself wasn't creepy and unsettling enough, Sam would have this look stretched across his features, unlike any that he'd ever worn before, his brown eyes open wide his jaw hinged slightly a breath sucked in and held… It was as though he were watching something horrifying play out right in front of him. Something that Dean could not see, and every time he would call him on it, trying to make some sort of sense out of his brothers actions he would get the same 'I'm fine… It was nothing' response he had gotten before.

It was something that chilled the older Winchester to the bone. Something that he couldn't bare to watch for another second, he needed to do something… Anything to help his brother…

Snapping his fingers quickly the eldest of the two boys was less than surprised when it took four snaps for his brother's head to rise in a slow and nearly mechanical motion.

"Sorry… I must've dozed off…" Sam offered up meekly with a painful attempt at a grin.

"With your eyes open? Come on Sammy even I'm not falling for that one."

Sam's shoulder's shrugged listlessly as he rose himself up onto his tired limbs and grabbed his still mostly full bowl making his way toward the small kitchenette and dumping the remainder of it's contents into the sink without another word.

Dean watched helplessly as Sammy, his Sammy headed toward his bed on the far side of the room each step appearing harder and heavier than the last. He knew his brother was not going to sleep… He was going to lay there, lay there and lose himself in grief, in a world so distant that Dean knew he would never be able to get in.

Scratching irritatedly at his chin the frustrated man pushed his chair back and stood up fishing for his cell phone in his pocket and heading for the door. "I need to make a call, I'll be right back." He half mumbled not expecting or even waiting for a reply as stepped outside.

It wasn't until the forth ring when a familiar voice came on the line that the anxious man exhaled and found himself able to breathe again.

_"Harvelle's Roadhouse." _

"Ellen? It's Dean…"

_"Oh hey sweetie, what's goin' on?"_ The southern twang in her voice was a small comfort to the worried man's ears, as he drew his lip into his mouth trying to chose his next words very carefully.

"Well… uhhhh. I think Sam and I might need your help."

There was something about the tone of Dean's voice, the desperation in that simple statement that caused Ellen's heart to skip a beat and she knew that whatever help he was going to ask for, wherever this conversation was going to lead them… It wasn't going to be good. _"Dean are you boys alright?"_

Dean scoffed a little… That was a loaded question, that he knew he was going to have one hell of a time trying to answer as he leaned back heavily against the wall and began what would become a forty five minute conversation about the events of the past two weeks, leaving out nothing and elaborating on every little detail his mind would allow him to recollect. If she was going to help she was going to need all the pieces.

_**February 28th 2008:**_

As they approached the small dirt road leading up to the newly re-built Harvelle's Roadhouse, Sam groaned lightly in protest, he would have argued, hell he wanted to argue, but there just wasn't enough left in him for that.

"I heard that." Dean quipped making his way down the final stretch and shutting off the engine before shifting to face the man sitting next to him.

"I just don't understand why we're here Dean." Even his voice was a ghost of what it used to be as Sam continued to stare out the front windshield.

"We're here because I said that here is where we need to be."

"Well that's a hell of a reason now isn't it?"

"It's the only one you're getting!"

"I've told you I'm fine…"

"You are so far from fine if this were a race you would be the tortoises and fine would be the hare. Now get out of the car Sam!"

"You think you're funny don't you?"

"Oh yeah I'm a regular Jackie Gleason." The older of the two sighed and shook his head before climbing out of the Impala and making his way around to the trunk to retrieve his duffel bag. The sad truth of the matter was, that coming to the roadhouse in his twisted life was like coming home again… It was the only semblance to a home he had ever known and even that had only come to be in the last couple of years or so.

"I thought I heard you boys pull up." Ellen grinned a little as she made her way down the three steps and into the small parking area meeting Dean half way, dishtowel still in hand.

"How did you know we weren't paying customers?" Dean's brow cocked jokingly, even in his current state of helpless worry, it was important to keep both his guard and his banter up.

"Even the worst of the alcoholics around here don't get started until noon." She shot back only half kidding. "Where's Sam?"

Dean shifted his gaze toward the tall lengthy figure of his brother as Sam slammed the truck closed and began to amble in their direction his head hung low eyes staying toward the ground.

"He looks like hell…" She whispered just loud enough to be heard by he man her comment was directed to, and not the other.

"I told you."

"I thought you we're stretching it I didn't think-" She cut herself off forcing her grin to widen and trying her best not to appear uncomfortable or concerned as Sam now stood directly in front of her. "Sam sweetie. How you doin' huh?"

"If I tell you I'm fine are you going to believe me?"

"Probably not." the short sandy blonde woman answered honestly giving him the once over with a motherly eye.

"Didn't think so…"

After an unsettling silence engulfed them Dean popped his knuckles and turned to face Ellen, needing something.. Anything to talk about, "So uh, Jo here?"

"Nope. She's still god knows where doing her own thing, she calls, checks in from time to time but that's about it…"

"Oh… Well that's to bad."

"Yeah…" Ellen shifted on her heals heading back toward the small bar and speaking over her shoulder, "Come on in and let me fix you something to eat."

"Dean…" Sam's voice was almost a whine as he fallowed the older man toward the house staying directly on his heels, "How long are we going to stay here?"

"As long as it takes Sammy.."

Sitting on one of the dark green barstools Sam eyed the plate in front of him with nauseating distain, he could feel two sets of eyes burning into him, watching his every move from the other side of the bar top as he picked gently at his tuna fish sandwich.

"It's for eating, not for playing with." Ellen offered up finally his actions, or lack there of not going unnoticed as she crossed her arms over her chest leaning back against the register and shaking her head shooting a concerned glance in Dean's direction.

"I'm just…. Not hungry."

"From what I've been hearing that seems to be a common problem for you these days."

"Yeah well." The youngest in the room mumbled sitting up a little straighter and pushing the plate away. "I'm a big boy."

"Sammy…" Dean exhaled taking a step toward his brother and pushing the plate back at him, "just a couple of bites man… It's not going to kill you to eat something."

Sam frowned a little casting his eyes upward from under his drooping lids, how was he supposed to eat? How was he supposed to do anything with her always watching… Always standing there just beyond reach glaring at him, her stare cold and hateful. Her blood stained white nightgown shielding his eyes from the bullet holes he knew were still there… The bullet holes he had put there.

Her mouth was always moving, always saying something even if his ears could not hear always it, somehow he knew… he knew that she was speaking to him, cursing him for what he'd done, damning him to the fires of hell for his fatal mistake…

_"ashes…ashes we all fall down…." _She would whisper every now and again her voice brushing against his flesh like an icy December wind.

She was everywhere no matter where he want, no matter how far he traveled, she was with him, as real as he was… as Dean was… Even if only his eyes could see her.

"Ashes ashes we all fall down." Sam quipped his glare intensifying momentarily before his neck craned down again and he looked at the countertop with vacant eyes.

Dean shivered a little inwardly before going back to his previous position next to Ellen, taking note of the confused and worrisome expression on her face as she spoke, "What the hell was that?"

"That was what I've been dealing with since that night…"

"He wasn't even looking at you, he was…. I don't know? Somewhere else?"  
"At first I thought it was all going to pass, that he would just need a few days to get on his feet again you know?"

"Something isn't right here Dean."

"That's putting it mildly."

"Let's give him a little bit longer, maybe being here… Away from out there will open him up a little, but if he's not… By Tuesday then We should think about getting him some sort of professional help."

With a nod of defeat Dean wiped his hands off on his jeans before pushing himself up off of the counter top he had been leaning on and clearing his throat as though he were going to say something.

He didn't say anything though, there was nothing he could say, no words to fix his crumbling world and nothing he could do except sit by and watch it fall down around him.

_**March 2nd 2008:**_

Ellen eyed the young man sitting down at one of the few small tables wearily as she pretended to wipe down the bar top for the third time in the last hour, the last three days seeming to have done him more harm than good, the void in his eyes more apparent than ever as he sat staring intensely at his hands without a word.

Reluctantly Dean had called and scheduled an appointment for the fallowing day with the local psychiatrist, realizing now more than ever that he was not going to be able to fix this on his own, and even with Ellen's help there was little they could do for Sam.

Currently though, Dean was out on an errand she herself had intended to run, but instead passed it off on to him when he'd practically begged her to do so. She understood of course, she could tell by the pain in his expression how badly he needed to get away, how hard it was for him to sit by and watch helplessly as his brother continued to draw further and further into some self constructed shell without any offering of an explanation. She knew how much everything was weighing on his shoulders.

Putting down the rag she had been using Ellen drew her lip into her mouth and crossed the small amount of space separating her from the listless man placed in the center of her small saloon, "Sam?" She whispered placing a hand on his shoulder, "Sweetie, I need to get some stuff out of the shed out back… Do you want to come sit out there with me for a minute?"

Sam didn't bother to move, staring gravely at the small wooden table his voice was hallow and low as he spoke. "I'm not glass…"

"What?"

"I'm not glass, I'm not going to break, you don't have to watch me every second.. "

"I just- I don't know if being alone right now is the best thing for you sweetie…"

"I'm not a child." Only now did he bring his head up to look at her, his expression vacant of all emotion as he locked his eyes to hers. "You can go, I'll be fine…" he whispered simply before dropping it again and going back to the welcomed nothingness of the inanimate object in front of him.

No sooner had Ellen hesitantly left him alone with himsel... Sam felt a now familiar chill devour his body and against his own will brought his eyes up again not needing to scan the room to know where she was standing…. Watching…. Her petite and ghostly form only inches from him.

Rising to his feet the broken down man studied her, there was something different now… something even more unsettling as he backed away from her slowly. Her mouth was no longer moving she didn't have a word or a song to torture his mind with, and rather than comforting Sam found this subtle difference all the more disturbing the amount of fear in his features escalating as he backed himself further and further into a close by corner.

Her feet were not moving, her body was completely still… Yet no matter how much farther back he moved away from her, no matter how many steps he took…. The distance between them remained the same.

"wh-what… What do you want from me?" His voice trembled uncontrollably as he spoke.

She was no longer the innocent young girl he hadn't saved… She was vile, a vicious creature hidden behind a child's eyes and innocent features. Her bright green firry eyes transforming into deep red angry orbs, a cockeyed malevolent grin spearding like a plague across her lips as the crimson on her nightgown began to drip pooling at her feet.

The terrified man felt his back come into contact with something hard and knew he had reached the far wall… He was trapped.

"Daisy…. I-I'm sorry…."

The child said nothing now as her head shifted left and Sam fallowed her demonic gaze to the closed window.

A crow as black as night smashing though the glass and bursting it into a thousand tiny shards that splattered like rain against the hard wood floor of the road house.

The creature squawked and cried almost as though it were imitating an infant as it circled above Sam's head before dropping down dead. Stiff as stone at his feet.

Sam's breathing halted as he choked down a lump in his throat, his nostrils flaring eyes petrified as the juke box to his right began to play.

_**When I was just a little girl  
I asked my mother what will I be  
Will I be pretty, will I be rich  
Here's what she said to me…**_

Sliding down the wall and bringing his knees to his chest Sam found himself gasping for breath, the crow still laying motionless at his feet the vengeful eyes of Daisy Pierson burning into him as her mouth opened and finally she spoke to him, her song song voice being heard loud and clear over the music that continued to play.

_"Ashes… Ashes…. We all fall down."_

**_Que sera, sera  
Whatever will be, will be  
The future's not ours to see  
Que sera, sera  
What will be, will be _**

The record skipped the needle screeching before it began to play the same versus again, the words sliding further and further from Sam as he felt himself slipping away, his surroundings growing dim and distant, the chill in his bones painfully intensifying as a flood of white light finally seized all sound, all movement and all fear.

Dean shut off the engine and reached into the back seat retrieving two paper bags before climbing out of the car and heading up the front walk way toward the roadhouse, it wasn't until he was almost halfway there that he noticed the shattered glass of the front window and his heart began to palpitate erratically in his chest his feet picking up speed.

"SAMMY?!?" He called out as he threw the door open and stepped inside, the scene that waited for him was one that would haunt him until the day that he die as he turned to find his brother huddled in the corner, his face forward unblinking eyes frozen as still as a statue, his arms wrapped laxly around his knees.

"Sammy? Oh…oh god…." the older man felt his insides twisting, knotting as he made his way closer and kneeled down placing one hand on each of his brothers thankfully warm cheeks, "Sammy…. Come on…."

There was no response, not so much as a batted eyelash, as Dean shifted his little brother's face to look at his. Expressionless features, vacant orbs was all he was met with. Placing his fingers against his brother's neck the panicked man waited for a pulse and found a sense of relief wash over him when he was met with a strong steady thump against his touch.

He wasn't dead…. Without a second thought Dean took out his cell phone and dialed 911 his eyes scanning the room for any sign of Ellen as he waited for an answer….

She was no where to be found…

What his eyes did find however was the deceased crow at his brother's feet surrounded by the broken glass, but not pierced by any…. There wasn't a cut or a scratch to be seen on the creature, not so much as a drop of blood… "What the-" the perplexed man silenced himself as an emergency dispatcher came on the line….

_"911... What is your emergency?"_

"It's… it's my brother… something's wrong with him…I just came back and- and-"

_"Is your brother breathing sir?"_

"Yes… yes he's breathing but he's not moving…."

_"Is he bleeding?"_

"No, no there's no blood anywhere…"

_"How old is your brother sir?"_

"He's only 24..."

_"Where are you located? I will have a car dispatched to you right away"_

"I-I'm out in the middle of freaking nowhere…. About 10 miles off the Two, Harvelle's Roadhouse…"

_"Sir I'm going to need you to…."_ Dean didn't hear another word that came out of the young woman's mouth on the other end of the receiver as his eyes caught sight of the wall above Sammy's head… Carved into the wood … was a message…

The same message Sam had been spouting off for days…

**ASHES…. ASHES… WE ALL FALL DOWN….**

_"Sir…Sir?"_

"Just hurry." Dean growled before snapping his phone shut the soft sound off footsteps behind him tipping him off to Ellen's presence….

"Dean? What the…."

"I don't know." His voice was sharp and snide as he shifted his head back to his brother and kneeled down again taking Sam's face in his hands… "Damn-it Sammy… What the hell happened?"

"I-I wasn't gone more then fifteen minutes, I just… I went to get some more glasses out of shed." Ellen spoke softly as she now stood next to the two brother's her face just as confused and frightened as Dean's.

Dean offered her no response as stood again, there was anger burning deep in his hazel orbs, anger Ellen knew was not meant for her as he pushed past her and headed toward the juke box ripping the cord clear from the wall and immediately halting the eerie song that had still continued to skip and play the same two versus until this point

"This wasn't something you could have stopped… " He grunted although his words were meant to comfort, to reassure his tone was angry and spiteful.

****

**_Meanwhile..._**

_Sam's eyes opened as he felt something soft and warm beneath his body, inhaling slow and deep he looked around the room trying to register where he was his mind, his memory trapped inside a dense fog…_

_"Baby?… Are you alright?" He shifted his head toward the familiar and comforting voice finding his gaze met with the most beautiful face he had ever seen… A face he had thought he would never look upon again, her hand coming up to caress his cheek…._

_"Jess?"_

Well, there you have it, chapter three is now complete, I hope there was little disappointment for you! I appreciate the reviews to the last chapter more than you know! I was a little nervous about this one though, so if you have the time please let me know how you felt about it! You know I like to hear your thoughts and opinions!!!!!

**Que sera, sera : **Doris Day song released in 1956 for the film The Man Who Knew Too Much

**Jackie Gleason: **Comedic actor from the 1950's who stared in the hit TV series the Honeymooners as Ralph Kramden, who passed away in 1987

**The Crow symbolism: **In occult circles, distinctions are sometimes made between crows and ravens. In mythology and folklore as a whole, crows tend to be symbolic more of the spiritual aspect of death… Crows, and especially ravens, often feature in European legends or mythology as portents or harbingers of doom or death, because of their dark plumage, unnerving calls, and tendency to eat carrion.

**A few huge mistakes were made on my part but have now been correncted!**


	4. Fictional Reality

-1_Let me start off by saying how sorry I am that I was not able to update for the last week or so, I was house sitting for some friends of mine and they did not have the internet! Anyway thank you so much for the amazing responses to chapter three, I know that a lot of you are anxious to see what is going to happen, but you are just going to have to wait it out I think you are all going to be a little shocked with the truth is revealed. Anyway enjoy!_

**And A Child To Lead Him**

_Chapter 4: Fictional Reality_

_**Meanwhile…**_

_Sam's eyes opened as he felt something soft and warm beneath his body, inhaling slow and deep he looked around the room trying to register where he was his mind, his memory trapped inside a dense fog…_

"_Baby?… Are you alright?" He shifted his head toward the familiar and comforting voice finding his gaze met with the most beautiful face he had ever seen… A face he had thought he would never look upon again, her hand coming up to caress his cheek…._

"_Jess?"_

"_I'm right here… What's wrong, you look like you've seen a ghost or something… We're you having a nightmare." Her voice was as innocent, as tender as anything Sam had ever heard as she continued to run her thumb along his cheek soothingly. Her baby blue eyes were studying him with worry and uncertainty_

"_No… I-I don't know…. I don't remember…" _

_Jess frowned pulling herself in closer to her fiancée and curling her body against his bringing her head to rest perfectly against his chest. "You're awake now that's all that matters…."_

"_Yeah…." Sam's voice was a whisper as he brought his arm around his long time girlfriend and closed his eyes, the smell of her lavender shampoo devouring his senses as the warmth of her body brought him instant comfort… The same way it always had…_

_Whatever his dream had been, this… this was reality…. He was home again… But still in his gut something churned, something felt wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was…_

_So for the time being he pushed it down deeper and relished in the embrace surrounding him._

Dean sat ridged and frozen in the small waiting room of the local hospital, staring blankly at the stack of empty Styrofoam coffee cups in front of him. He was still trying desperately to put all the scattered pieces together, to make some sort of sense of all of this. The vacant and distant gaze of his brother's still form engraved inside his mind his heart and his soul.

How the hell had he allowed this to happen? Why had he left him alone when he was so clearly in need of help?

"Dean?" Ellen called to him softly placing her hand on his knee and giving it a small squeeze pulling him from his torturous thoughts and back to reality.

"hmmm?"

"You alright?"

Dean sighed loudly and rubbed the bridge of his nose slowly shaking his head a little, "He's been back there for over four hours, why the hell hasn't anyone come out to tell us what the hell is going on?"

"Give it time sweetie…" The older woman knew her reply was lame, she herself had been wondering why they hadn't seen a single white coat heading their way, why no one had said a single word to them about Sam's condition….

"How was he…. The last time you talked to him?" The eldest of the Winchester brothers asked softly desperation in his voice as his head came up his eyes soft and pleading as he spoke.

"There hadn't been any change, he didn't seem any worse, if he had I swear Dean, I wouldn't have left him there."

"And you didn't hear any noises coming from the house?"

"No."

"What the hell?" He asked more to himself than anyone else as he ran a shaking hand through his hair and went back to agonizing and blank silence shifting his body back into the seat and allowing the cushions to engulf him.

It wasn't even ten minutes later when the double doors twenty feet in front of them swung open and a older man in a white coat headed out into the small area, "Family for Foster?"

"That's us." Dean mumbled springing to his feet and nodding at the grey haired man as he stepped toward him, "That's my brother…."

The fifty something doctor whose name tag read Dr. Teague nodded back his eyes softening as he met the young man half way Ellen now standing at his heels both of them wearing identical looks of anticipation.

"My name is Dr. Christopher Teague, I am the chief neurologist here at county." He spoke softly as he extended his hand and Dean shook it, to softly… Dean knew there had to be some soft of bad news coming, he could sense it, feel it in his gut.

"Dean." He settled for the simplest answer possible before drawing his hand back and shoving it into his pocket, drawing his lip into his mouth and exhaling, "How's my brother doctor?"

"I think you might want to sit down Mr. Foster…"

"I don't want to sit down, I've been sitting down for over four hours! Now please tell me what's going on."

"Well…" The doctor scratched his small amount of stubble on his chin, "Your brother's case seems to be somewhat unique, and we are going to need to run further testing, but as far as we can tell, Sam is currently in a vegetative state brought on by a severe trauma to his emotional state, from the information you provided our nurse with it seems to have been brought on by the sudden and unexpected death of his cousin."

Dean swallowed hard and nodded he could feel his heart beginning to pound in his chest his palms growing instantly sweaty as he fought to dissect the words coming out of the doctors mouth and find the answers he was seeking.

You said he witnessed her death?"

"Yes… Yessir."

The stranger nodded and made a note on the chart in his hand.

"You said that Sam's case was unique?" Ellen pushed softly placing her hand on Dean's back in an attempt to comfort, "I've seen many cases of PTSD brought on by traumatic events…"

"Vegetative states are usually accompanied by stimulation to sound, sensations and or painful stimuli…. But Sam doesn't seem to be responding to any of these things…The brain scan does not indicate brain death, he has minimal brain function… He's breathing on his own, his heart and pulse are both strong, he shows no sign of any physical damage… It's as though he's just…. Shut down."

Dean's knees felt weak, the world around him becoming hazy as it begun to spin and he stumbled slightly before catching his footing and his breath again. "I-I want to see him."

"We are moving him up to ICU, we are going to continue to monitor his brain activity and his vitals as well as run more tests… but to be honest this is unlike anything I've seen before…."

**March 12th 2008:**

Dean continued to sit faithfully at his brother's bedside, refusing to move for any reason other than to go to the bathroom or grab another cup of coffee… Ellen had come and gone, she would bring him food or a change of clothes… She'd tried to get him to go back to the roadhouse and get some rest but of course being of Winchester blood he stubbornly refused proclaiming that he would not leave until his brother was able to go with him….

He was not going to leave him alone again.

The worn brown leather book in his hand had provided fewer answers than even the doctors had up to this point, Sam's condition had not worsened, but on the same hand it had not grown any better either… there was just simply no change….

There he laid blinking mechanically void gaze fixed straight ahead off into nothingness, unaware of any presence what so ever unreasoning to any touch, any voice…

He was the true definition of a living breathing shell… Dr. Teague and his team had run any and all tests they could think of but they'd come up with nothing that even resembled an explanation….

Which was the same dead end that Dean himself seemed to keep running into, he'd examined their father's journal f or answers up and down no less than a hundred times…. There was no mention of Custodis - Liberi , no reference to any demon or spirit that could deliver such devastating punishments…. Nothing, and it was beginning to drive Dean crazy…

There had to be some sort of Supernatural explanation for all of this, people didn't just shut down, SAM didn't just shut down, crows didn't just smash through windows and drop dead at your feet without so much as a scratch….

Even Sam's trusty lap top, the machine with all the answers had come up with a dead end… There was nothing, nothing that Dean could do, he had to sit with his thumb up his ass, sit and wait like the rest of the world who had watched a loved one suffer so helplessly….

Sit and hold his brother's hand praying for some sort of miracle and calling him back from wherever the hell it was his mind had seemed to take him.

_**Meanwhile…**_

_Sam's world seemed to be the perfect cookie cutter example of the all American dream as he gazed lovingly into Jess' eyes curled up on the couch in their spacious living room the ten O'clock news playing out on the screen in front of them._

_Every time he looked at her, every time he held her in his arms, every tome her name crossed his lips it was as though he loved her even more, remembering each and everyone of their past memories, the joys they had shared together… And looking ahead to the future… planning for what was to come, their wedding, their children…. All of it was going to be his…._

"_I love you…" He cooed gently giving her body a small squeeze before turning to face the television. He knew that the news to most was less than entertaining, hell that it was down right depressing, but still he couldn't help but watch it, he wanted to be in the know about the world around him…. _

_He always found an ironic humor in the fact that the news anchors could plaster on such large and genuine smiles even when they were reporting on some horrific and terrible tragedy… They reminded him of dolls with Keys in their backs that someone would come and turn to force them to keep smiling… _

"_**Blake's Auction house owned by successful art Dealer and entrepreneur Daniel Blake was burned to the ground late last night, although at this time no official cause has been determined, officials are saying that there is substantial evidence pointing to the fact that this was in fact no accident, but that the fire was deliberately set.**_

"_**This is not the first tragic event for Blake's Auction house, earlier this year channel ten news was the first to bring you news of the robbery that had taken place there, during which not one but two authentic Thomas Kincaid originals were stolen.**_

"_**Blake's daughter, Sarah Blake who has worked with her father in the family business since childhood issued a statement this morning regarding the suspected arson."**_

_Sam leaned forward on the sofa to get a better look at the photo on the television in front of him, he could no longer hear the words being spoken, he was to busy starring…. Beautiful hazel eyes that seemed to be looking right at him, long dark hair… She was breathtaking …. But even more importantly she was familiar… Sam had seen her some where before… _

"_Sam?" Jess' voice cut through his thoughts even though he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away, his brows creasing together in the middle as he studied the young woman on the screen. _

"_Sam are you alright?"_

"_I-I know her, I've seen her before."_

"_Well duh baby, everyone knows the Blake's they're one of the most famous art dealers in the US… Well they were anyway I mean-"_

"_No. Not like that, I mean I know her!"_

"_That's impossible, you've never even been to New York."_

_A frown pressed on the edges of Sam's lips as he finally forced his eyes away from the TV and leaned back into the sofa… "Yeah… I guess your right…. " He whispered only half convincingly, he couldn't shake this feeling that something wasn't right… there was somewhere he needed to be… Something he needed to be doing…. _

_And most of all…. someone was missing._

**March 13th 2008:**

Bobby Singer stood directly outside the open door to intensive Care Unit room 319. He had spent the last half an hour talking to Sam's doctor about his "nephews" condition, and now as he peered inside the sterile, small white room looking at the shattered and broken down boys in front of him he couldn't help but wonder who was worse off…

Dean's flesh was pale as the white walls surrounding him, his eyes sunken into his sockets, there rims red and irritated, his face on shaven as he sat vigil at his brother's side holding tight to the younger boy's hand and continuing to whisper unheard words of encouragement, praise and hope into deaf ears.

Ellen had finally broken down and called the hunter, and honorary uncle of the boys the previous evening, explaining to him the situation from start to finish and begging him for help.

As he stood here now though his heart slowly breaking, even though he would never admit to it… Having heard the doctors not-so-encouraging words only moments ago… He wondered how much help he was really going to be able to give this time around.

That was not going to stop him from trying.

Stepping into the disinfected and blindly colorless room he made his way over to Dean's side and wasn't the least bit surprised when he remained unnoticed. Dean was concentrating on one thing and one thing only, the same thing he had been concentrating on and protecting for his entire life.

His little brother. His Sammy.

Bending down with a soundless sigh Bobby placed a comforting and strong hand on the oldest brother's shoulder stealing his attention. "Hey kiddo…" His voice was calm… collected and soothing as he watched Dean's dull and tired orbs shift to look at him.

The exhausted man offered what he could manage of a small grin and cleared his throat a little attempting to compose his broken demeanor before speaking, "Hey Bobby…"

"How you holdin' up?"

"It's not me we need to worry about." Dean's reply was soft as he shifted his eyes back to Sam's motionless form.

"I just got through talking with his doctor…"

"That's useless, the doctor's around here know less than we do about what's going on with him."

"So I gathered."

"Dr. Teague just keeps telling me that all I can do is wait, wait and pray that he wakes up…. Try to coax him out of this…."

"Ellen told me."

"She did? She call you?"

"How else do you think I would of known to come here, I'm a hinder kid, not a psychic!"

"Yeah well, I could use one of those right now…"

"I know…" Bobby frowned giving Dean another look up and down and clearing his throat again, a sheer sign that he was about to bring up a subject that was going to piss Dean off… "Ellen also tells me you haven't left his side."

"That's right, and I'm not going to,"

"Dean look at yourself, you look like hell…"

"So?"

"What good do you think you are going to do Sam if you're in the bed next to his?"

"What the hell good am I doing him now anyway?"

"Stop being a smart ass!"

"I'm serious Bobby!"

"So am I." Bobby barked back just as coy and strong as Dean's tone had been, "You might be able to pull your stubborn shit with Ellen, but your not going to pull it with me." The older man rose to his feet and crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes glaring as he stood in judgment.

Dean grunted, his insides set ablaze by the harsh and cold tone of Bobby's words, by the superiority in his stance. He was not going to leave his brother no matter how smug of a look his uncle shot him with. Rising to his feet a look of determination burning inside his hazel orbs, locking his jaw the angered man fully intended to spat out his defense… To give Bobby a piece of his mind…. "I don't think you understand me Bobby I'm not going-"

However, the minute his body was up right, his knees were weaker than he anticipated, his legs numb, body tired as he wavered and grunted in disapproval feeling his exhausted limbs begin to plummet toward the ground.

"Easy." Bobby was more than thankful for his quick reflexes as he reached out and gripped the boy under his arm steadying him.

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. And I'm taking you home right now."

"No!"

"Yes." The tone in that single word was identical to the one John use to carry when distributing an order that was not to be ignored, an order that was to be fallowed and not questioned… And it was a tone Dean knew he could not protest nor defeat as his looked to his brother once again.

So silent. So still. So peaceful.

Gripping his hand around lax and clammy fingers once again, Dean drew in a deep breath and held it, "I need to go now Sammy… Bobby is making me go, but you hang in there alright, keep fighting, keep fighting to come back to me little brother and I'll be back in a couple of hours alright?"

Picking up his brown leather jacket from the back of the chair the older brother was about to slide it on when instead in a very un dean like move he took the worn article of clothing that had once belonged to his father and carefully draped it over Sam's torso lifting his brothers hands and placing them on top of it carefully…

"See Sammy…. Dad and I are both still here with you…" He whispered so softly that Bobby could hardly hear him before again turning to face the oldest in the room who had seen this all unfold before him watching with caring and saddened eyes.

"Alright… Lets go…."

Bobby nodded and silently placed his arm around Dean's shoulder leading them both out of the room and toward the car.

_This chapter was by far my least favorite as of yet, but in order to get to point C from point A, you can't leave out point B now can you? I hope that you all enjoyed it though and as always let me know what your thoughts are!_

**Vegetative State:**

Avegetative state, which sometimes follows a coma, refers to a condition in which individuals have lost cognitive neurological function and awareness of the environment but retain noncognitive function and a perserved sleep-wake cycle.

It is sometimes described as when a person is technically alive, but his/her brain is dead. However, that description is not completely accurate. In persistent vegetative state the individual loses the higher cerebral powers of the brain, but the functions of the brainstem, such as respiration (breathing) and circulation, remain relatively intact. Spontaneous movements may occur and the eyes may open in response to external stimuli, but the patient does not speak or obey commands. Patients in a vegetative state may appear somewhat normal. They may occasionally grimace, cry, or laugh.

**Teague: **The last name of Jensen's character Jason in the 4th season of Smallville!!!


	5. Shattered Hopes & Perspectives

-1_WOW! I've never had such an over whelming response to a story before you guys are really making me want to keep writing and writing for all of you! Thank you so much, you know how much I feed off of your opinions and critiques. I have noticed that many of you have put this story on alert so that takes a load off of me as far as having to PM each one of you individually, unless you want me to continue doing so. Anyway as always I hope you enjoy and remember to feed me I'm starving here._

**And a Child to Lead Him**

_Chapter 5: Shattered Hopes & Perspectives_

**March 14th 2008:**

By the time Dean's eyes opened the next morning, the clock on dresser next to his head read 10:17 in bright iridescent green numbers, he had been asleep for nearly eleven hours, something that he immediately regretted and felt guilty about. He needed to get back to Sammy, needed to be there in case there was any change….

It was a mere twenty minutes later when he pulled into the parking lot of the small county hospital swinging into the first spot he could find and shutting off the engine. He had been away for far longer than he had intended and that was unacceptable.

Climbing out of the car freshly showered and changed he jogged to the entrance and rode the elevator up to the third floor, silently hoping, praying even, that in his short absence something had changed, that there was good news awaiting him, that his brother would be awake, coherent and that together they would laugh it off as some sort of bad dream.

It was a fool's wish though, Dean knew that in his head, but still his heart grasped on to the fantasies and hopes that maybe… just maybe something had changed, that the only person left in his life would find his way back and be okay again.

The small ding of the elevator pulled the eldest remaining Winchester from his thoughts as he shook his head and stepped off. Making his way toward his brother's room he stopped in the doorway and inhaled softly. It was a breath of mixed emotion…

His hopes dashed and destroyed by the motionless form of his brother still frozen in the same catatonic state, as Dean had left him in, their father's jacket still draped protectively over his torso. the chilling and disheartening sound of the heart monitor, the blood pressure cuff and the precautionary oxygen tanks still ever present, a reminder of just how bad off his little brother was….

But as his gaze shifted slightly, Dean found another emotion edging it's way into his heart, a look of surprise undoubtedly spreading across his features at the actions of the man who had taken over Dean's duties sitting vigil at Sam's side.

Bobby Singer, expert demon hunter, the toughest, most stubborn man that the Winchester's had ever known…

Had softened. That was the only word Dean could think to use, there he sat comfortingly stroking the younger man's hand, his features relaxed his entire demeanor gentle and sympathetic, a far cry from the usual rough and tough exterior he wore.

Leaning against the door frame Dean smiled to himself ever so slightly, he watched Bobby's mouth moving and knew he must be speaking in a hushed tone, words of comfort or encouragement maybe?

Feeling someone's stare burning into him Bobby's gaze shifted from Sam to Dean and his cheeks pinked just a little in embarrassment as he rose to his feet, "Well, don't you look a hundred times better… How you feelin'?"

"I'll be fine." Dean cleared his throat pushing himself up off of the door frame and headed for his brother's bed side immediately placing his hand on top of Sam's. "Has there been any change?"

Bobby's eyes saddened and he shook his head, "Not so much as a twitch." He admitted with a frustrated exhale, his tone defeated.

"Did you check the journal again?"

"Dean…"

"What? It's possible that we missed something…"

"Between the two of us we've checked that damn book no less than a hundred and fifty times, if there was something in there we would have seen it by now."

"I know…" The younger man's voice was quiet, "I just… I wish there was something I could do, some answer to all of this that's right under asses…."

"You tried the holy water?"

"Three times…"

"Well, maybe this just… happened, you know maybe he just couldn't take it anymore… and like Dr. Teague said, he just shut down."

"No. Not Sam, he's strong… You heard what else the Dr. Said this is unlike anything he's ever seen before, which means this has to be some sort of… Something…."

"Then why haven't we found anything on it?"

"Maybe we're just looking for the wrong thing."

"What should we be looking for then?"

Rubbing the bridge of his nose in irritation Dean shrugged, "I don't know… Yet." The lat word of his statement was spoken with sheer finality as he used his foot to pull a chair up behind himself and slid back into it, never once letting go of Sam's hand in the process. "I-I just wish I knew what was going on in there…"

_**Meanwhile…**_

_Sam held the small cherry wood frame in his hand studying the face staring back at him intensely, he could still remember the day the photo was taken… His father's 46th birthday, his mother had planned the most extravagant party… fifty of their closest friends had all come along to celebrate such a milestone… _

_That was the night Mary and John Winchester had announced to the world that they would be renewing their vows on their up coming twenty-fifth wedding anniversary, _ _accompanied shortly after by an announcement from Sam himself that he and Jess had finally decided to Marry and were now officially engaged._

_He could remember the day as though it were yesterday, as clear as ever it played out in his mind to the last detail, but still he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing, a big part of him, who he was, was absent from his life… his memory and even the photo that he currently held so tight to in his grasp…. _

_But what?_

"_Reminiscing again?" Jess' soft voice came penetrating through his thoughts as he felt her slender arms wrap around his waist her head coming to rest on his shoulder._

"_Uh… yeah…" He nodded before placing the photo back in it's usual spot on the bookcase and turning to face her. "You took that didn't you?"_

_With a small laugh Jess nodded, "Yeah… remember? Per your moms request? She'd been complaining about needing a new family photo for so long you finally gave in and let me take it?"_

"_I remember…"_

_Cupping her lover's face in her hands Jess gave his lips a soft peck before pulling back again, "It's beautiful outside…. What do you say we go for a walk?"_

_The sun shone high and bright as Sam inhaled deeply the fresh scents of a new spring surrounding him, Jess hadn't been lying it was definitely a beautiful day, the most beautiful day Sam had seen in a long time as he slyly slipped his hand into hers and held tight to it, the two of them making their way down the street._

_California had not been the most quaint place to settle down, the busy bustling of life a constant reminder to Sam that his home town of Lawrence was far far away. Today though, today it seemed as Mayberry-esque as they come, neighbors sitting on porch swings… Children playing in their yards, celebrating spring break, hardly even a car passing by as they made their way down the street,…_

_This was perfect… Almost to perfect, Sam couldn't help but think as he took a look around taking in everything there was to see and relishing each and every peaceful moment as if trying to use them to set the uneasiness inside his stomach right again…_

"_Ring around the rosy…._

_Pocket full of posies…_

_Ashes… Ashes…_

_We all fall down…"_

_Sam froze. His gaze immediately shifting toward the familiar innocent voice on the other side of the street where a group of children were playing._

_He found his eyes instantly fixed on one of the four little girls, the one who had been singing so sweetly second before as she danced around in a circle her hands clasped tightly to those standing next to her, before falling to the ground in a chorus of giggles and laughter…_

_As she rose again Her stare came to meet his bright green vibrant eyes looking into him from only feet away… She was familiar to him, so familiar and without warning a chill danced up and down Sam's spine. In a split second her smile faded her angelic eyes flashing red, her features shifting into a face of pure evil._

_Sam's blood ran cold. His mouth momentarily drying, but in the blink of an eye, no less than a second later the demonic creature had once again shifted into the pure almost celestial child once again…_

"_Sam?"_

_Sam shook his head quickly and swallowed shifting his eyes back to his girlfriend and blinked a few times bringing her back into focus, "Hmmm?"_

"_You stopped… Are you alright?"_

"_Yeah…." His head bobbed up and down as he took one final look at the child across the street before beginning to move his feet again, "Yeah… fine…"_

**March 17th 2008:**

Dean sat anxiously at his brother's side his knee's bouncing in anticipation, Ellen and Bobby occupying the other two chairs in the small private room of the LCU where Sam was currently residing. They were once again waiting to hear the results from the latest round of tests that Dr. Teague and his staff had preformed. Poking and prodding at Sam like some living pin cushion.

A soft knock was heard before the wooden door opened and in stepped Dr. Teague with Sam's ever growing file tucked safely and securely under his arm, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Well doc?" Bobby rose to his feet Ellen doing the Same and stepping beside him as Dean did the only thing he could think to do and held tighter to his brother's limp hand.

The doctor 's lips pursed together slightly before a frown came to them and all three "family" members in the room knew that the news he was about to deliver was not going to be that which they had hoped for. "I've just been going over Sam's test results… His physical state is still well above what is to be expected at this stage…."

"But…." Dean's voice was small and shaky

"But his EEG is showing a slight drop in activity…." The doctor ran a hand through his hair before continuing when his gesture was met with silence, "I'm afraid that if this becomes pattern then your brother's condition will only worsen rather than improve and before long he will experience full irreversible brain death."

Dean's hand trembled as he felt vomit rising into his throat and subconsciously swallowed it down, the three people on the far side of the room silently watching him with worried eyes trying to see any signs of a reaction. "No…." He mumbled softly his voice trembling.

"Sweetie…" Ellen was the first to move stepping toward him, her steps quickly halted as Dean's icy and fear filled gaze shot up his eyes rimmed red and threatening to spill over with tears of anguish.

His words as cold and frightened as his gaze he spoke harshly. "GET OUT! ALL OF YOU GET THE HELL OUT!"

His world was inside out and he was plummeting into a place that no one should have to witness… He wanted, he needed to be alone, alone with his brother, his broken brother, all that remained of his family… and his heart.

"Dean.." Ellen tried to continue but was quickly hushed by both Bobby and the doctor as they shook there heads in unison and the three of them headed for the door silently with heavy hearts. They knew that Dean's anger was once again misplaced and that right now he needed one thing and one thing only, his brother… So they would give him that as best they could.

The minute the soft click of the closing door echoed though his ears, what remained of the strength Dean had been gripping so desperately to dissipated the trembling in his hand quickly spreading throughout his limbs… The tears he had been holding back all this time pouring with a vengeance down his cheeks and onto his brother's paled flesh.

Sob after sob he cried openly, helpless as to what else to do… He needed his brother, he needed his Sam and no one… nothing was going to change that… He had to do something, anything, had to find the answers he needed, had to save his brother no matter what the cost….

"I won't lose you…." His tears stopped his jaw locking in anger as he brought his eyes to meet his brother's which were still so vacant and lifeless. His trembling finger's wrapping around Sam's chin he pulled the two of them face to face.

His words were filled with finality, authority and pure defiance, his breath hot with the same anger that had been feeding on his insides since the doctor's grim and devastating news. "You hear me Sammy? Huh? I'm not going to lose you…I'll find a way… I'll fix this, you're all I have left…I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE YOU!"

Bobby could hear the commotion coming from the other side of the door loud and clear as he found himself resisting the urge for the first time in his life to break down the before mentioned door dividing them and console the remaining son of his long time friend.

He had fought so many demons in his life, he'd defeated so much evil… And he'd seen John Winchester's boys doing just the same.

To be loosing a battle like this… Was more than unacceptable, they needed help, they needed answers, and suddenly like a light bulb switching in his brain the old hunter knew exactly where to at least begin looking for them…

He just hoped his revelation hadn't come to late, and that if nothing else was on their side maybe… just maybe at least time would be.

**Mayberry: ** Small town from the 1960's classic television show The Andy Griffith Show starring well duh, Andy Griffith.

**LCU: **Long Term Care Unit, where a person is placed when their expected hospitalization time is of great proportions, and it is suspected that long term care is going to be needed.

**EEG:****electroencephalogram- **is the neurophysiologic measurement of the electrical activity of the brain by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp or, in special cases, subdurally or in the cerebral cortex. The resulting traces are known as an **electroencephalogram (EEG)** and represent an electrical signal (postsynaptic potentials) from a large number of neurons. These are sometimes called **brainwaves**, though this use is discouraged,[1 because the brain does not broadcast electrical waves.[2 The EEG is a brain function test, but in clinical use it is a "gross correlate of brain activity".[3 Electrical currents are not measured, but rather voltage differences between different parts of the brain.

"EEGs" are frequently used in experimentation because the process is non-invasive to the research subject. The subject does not need to make a decision or behavioral action in order to log data, and it can detect covert responses to stimuli, such as reading. The EEG is capable of detecting changes in electrical activity in the brain on a millisecond-level. It is one of the few techniques available that has such high temporal resolution. The other common technique is magnetoencephalography (MEG).

_So there is is! I hope you enjoyed, and so for those of you who have said this story reminds them of What is and What Should Never Be, I have been working this idea out since before the airing of that episode, and I do promise that the twists and turns that I have set up will deliver a very different outcome, so I hope you all stay seated for the remainder of this ride and once again I thank you for your wonderful replies to chapter 4!_


	6. Hidden Paths

_Again I must express how awesome it is to be getting so much feedback from all of you and see how well you are really enjoying this story! I hope you continue to enjoy it, and as always your opinions are appreciated!_

I went back and changed and corrected a few things!

And A Child To Lead Him  
_Chapter 6: Hidden Paths_

**March 19th 2008:**

Dean stared helplessly into Sam's unchanged bare and abandoned gaze just as he had been for the last seventeen days. Searching desperately for some sort of sign, even the smallest glimpse of recognition, the tiniest hope that Sam was aware of his presence, aware of anything… But still he found nothing as his heart continued to break further and he found himself wondering if there was much more of it left.

He didn't let on though as he stroked the limp hand placed strategically beneath his, he hadn't showed a single negative emotion since his tearful outburst after the doctor's devastating blow to his ever shrinking world, he refused to let Sammy know that he was suffering, that his faith was falling and dragging his soul along with it.

Instead as he spoke he made sure to keep his voice optimistic, his tone light and comforting, just in case by some small chance Sam could hear him and would find his way back into the light.

A small smile played against his thin and worried lips as he found another memory working it's way into his thoughts from the place he had locked it away in the back of his mind. Just as he'd done with all the others that he seemed to unwillingly recollect in these passing days, he shared them out loud and openly hoping that they would bring as much warmth and comfort to his little brother as it did to him.

. . . . .

  


Newly six years old Sammy Winchester smiled brightly as he climbed onto the brand new bright blue swing that his father and brother had built for him in the yard of his "uncle Jim's" small house a smile bigger than any he's ever worn devouring his tiny features.

"Push me Deanie…" He begged his voice hopeful and over excited as his legs swung back and forth over the seats edge nowhere close to reaching the ground.

Even at a mere ten years old Dean had a certain tough guy image he felt he had to up hold as he smiled smugly admiring the handy work of his father and himself and making his way toward the wooden swing set. "Alright Sammy, Alright…." He tried to sound as annoyed as he could but the truth be told the excitement that had spread like wild fire across his brother's features had been more than infectious and he too was now inwardly elated, his little brother was happy… Hell his little brother was ecstatic, and that was all that ever mattered to Dean. Sam's happiness.

"Hold on tight Sammy." He warned as he pushed the young boys back gently at first and then a little harder causing the child to begin swinging.

"Higher!!!! HIGHER!!!!" He squealed working his legs to try to help the process along.

"I'm working on it…. Just hold your horses!"

"I don't have any horses to hold Dean, now go higher!!!!"

Before long Sammy was flying high enough to almost reach the top of the wooden frame supporting the swing set giggles of enjoyment pouring freely from his lips.

Deciding that this was high enough Dean took a step back crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the side of the before mentioned frame, staying close enough that if there were some sort of accident he would be right there to make things better just as he always was.

"We still need to go higher!" Sam's face turned to look at him, even with a smile that wide there was a seriousness hidden behind his twinkling gaze. "You can't stop now!"

"Sammy, if you go any higher you're going to bust your new swing set!"

"But Deanie!!!!"

Dean cursed inwardly to himself knowing exactly what was going to come next, after the whine came the eyes, and he could never resist the eyes, those hazel puppy dog saddened orbs that pleaded and begged with him, tearing into him until he gave his little brother whatever it was that he wanted.

"Sam. No."

"I have to go higher you don't understand!!!!"

"What don't I understand?"

"I have to reach the moon!" The child stated in a matter of fact tone, his words as serious and as innocent as any he'd ever spoken.

"You're not going to be able to reach the moon from your swing set Sammy." Dean sighed a slight hitch of irritation in his voice.

"Of course I can! You and daddy built it! Which means that it can do anything it's special because of that! Daddy is a superhero and beats up the ugly monsters with his special powers! And now the swing has special powers… powers to take me to the moon!"

"Sammy." Dean frowned slightly to himself and took a step closer, "That's not exactly the way it goes buddy."

"So daddy's not a superhero then? He doesn't beat up the bad guys" Immediately the six year olds face went from excited and overjoyed to worried and pain filled his tiny eyebrows creasing into the middle of his forehead his lips trembling.

"No, no, no... of course Dad's a superhero…" Dean swallowed hard correcting his mistake instantly unable to bare the pain he'd placed on his brother's face.

"Like…like mighty mouse?"

"Mighty mouse?" Dean grumbled under his breath not loud enough to be heard before nodding in acknowledgement, "Sure Sammy like mighty mouse." he drew his lip into his mouth more than a little confused about his brother's intense urge to make it to the moon, and his out look on their superhero father. "Sammy…. Why do you want to go to the moon anyway? I mean don't you like it here?"

"Well sure I do Dean…" Sammy's head bobbed up and down quickly, "But everyone knows there's no monster's on the moon….. And if I made it to the moon then I'd be safe from them there, and someday you and daddy could come there too and we'd always be safe together…."

Dean's frown increased at the simple yet painful explanation his brother had given him, causing daggers to rip through his heart as he took another step closer and closed the distance between the two boys, reaching out to slow the swing to a complete stop. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you Sammy, you know that don't you? I've always protected you… And I always will… so you don't need to worry about the monsters coming… because you've got something that they don't."

"I do?"

"Yup. Me."

Before Dean could stop it and against his liking he felt the weight of his little brother against his body, Sam's tiny arms wrapping around his waist and squeezing tight as though he were holding on for dear life… "Thanks Deanie…"

"Of course… Now get off me."

With a final squeeze Sam let his arms drop his eyes twinkling as his neck craned up to look at his big brother his smile broadening , if that was even possible.

Sam got more than just a swing set for his birthday that year…. He'd gotten…contentment, safety, and reassurance from a guardian angel he knew would never leave him…

And from that moment on no matter what he was unsure of Sam knew one thing he'd never forget… He had the best big brother in the world.

. . . . .

**Present Day**

Instinctively Dean gripped tighter to his brother's hand as the memory and the story came to an end, bringing it to his chest and holding it there as he drew in a deep aching breath and exhaled shakily, "I promised you that day that I'd protect you little brother… And I will, I promise you Sammy, I'm going to find a way to fix all of this…. I just need you to hang in there… "

"Maybe I can help with that." an immediately reassuring and warming voice whispered from the doorway as Dean's eyes came up to meet the familiar and kind face of an old family friend.

"W-when did you…." his words died off on his lips as he rose to his feet and swallowed hard.

"Bobby called me a few days ago, and I made it out here as fast as I could", the stout black woman spoke quietly stepping into the room as Dean released Sam's hand and made his way toward her.

Missouri Mosely, a woman of mystery and truths to say the least, but also whose presence could bring instant contentment.

Wrapping his arms around her gingerly the relieved man found himself resisting the urge to squeeze tightly and hold on to her just as Sam had done to him all those years ago.

"It's good to see you… I'm sorry we didn't make it by… We just…"

"Shhhh." Missouri hushed him softly, " Boy don't you dare be sorry for that, I've never met a busier pair than the two of you… I knew our paths would cross again someday, I just didn't think they would be under such devastating circumstances."

"Yeah…." Dean pulled back and looked at her; "Do… do you really think you can help?"

"I can try…"

"Well, that's more than I can do…" He admitted sheepishly leading the way back toward the bed and resuming his seat at Sam's side. "The doctor's just keep telling me we have to hold on to hope, but that his condition is deteriorating at we have to be realistic and I just…"

"I know…" She nodded softly her eyes now studying Sam's frozen and motionless state as she brought her hand up and ran it through his shabby uncombed chestnut hair slowly a sadness masking the usual kindness found on her features as she pushed her lips together, "Oh Sam… Honey….."

She slowly lowered herself into the unused chair next to the bed and turned her gaze back Dean her fingers continuing to comb through the absent man's hair, she wanted to say something, to speak more words of comfort, to find a way to ease the older brother's mind as she felt so intensely the pain and tension pouring off of him, but there was nothing she could offer up just yet.

Not until she found her way inside Sam, not until she knew what was really going on, the only thing she was more than sure of at this point was the fact that there were definitely supernatural forces at work here…. And something was very wrong.

"Tomorrow." She finally coaxed gently, "Tomorrow hopefully I'll have the answers you are looking for…."

Dean nodded emotionlessly he was purposely keeping his hope at bay, he didn't want to believe that relief had finally found them, that everything was going to be okay now, he didn't want to believe until he knew for sure, in fear that he would only find his depression once again deepening when they came up empty handed.

. . . . . .

**March 20th 2008:**

Still and silent Dean sat across from Missouri a knot the size of a watermelon having settled inside his stomach he found that even breathing was a nearly impossible task as he watched and waited helplessly.

Blocking out everything surrounding the two of them the mystical black woman laced Sam's fingers in her own and held tight to them, feeding her strength into his listless form and closing her eyes as she leaned forward and rested her forehead against his. His flesh was as cold and lifeless as she had feared and she found herself bracing for the darkness she was about to explore.

The human mind was a confusing and complicated abyss, and she knew that Sam's was going to be darker than ever, pieces and fragments of a broken soul floating around and manifesting themselves into Demons she could not even begin to fathom.

But still she needed to do this… For Sam and for Dean.

. . . . .

****

Sam sat sluggishly on the plush sofa in the living room watching restlessly as Jess danced around the kitchen sweeping the floors, she truly was the most amazing woman he'd ever known, and the fact that she was his… only his…. And they would spend eternity a single soul divided into two separate entities, was a comfort and a warmth inside his heart that he found unexplainable.

Even on days like today when, he seemedd more than a little tired, his strength minimal and his body heavy, when he was 'under the weather' as his mother would call it. He couldn't wipe the smile from his lips, his life was perfect. Beautiful and he knew that the rest of his days were going to be happy ones.

. . . . .

Opening her eyes Missouri was more than surprised when she wasn't met with darkness,

there were no bone chilling screams.

No faceless or nameless demons…

in fact, there was sunshine, sunshine and birds…. A place so serene and so beautiful it paled in comparison to the harsh outside world of reality.

And that alone worsened the worry and uneasiness embedded into her gut.

She found herself standing in front of a moderately large white home with a well manicured lawn and a small porch swing…

"What in the world?…" She whispered under her breath before beginning up the small walk way and knocking on the door cautiously unsure of who or what was going to answer she found her defenses on high alert.

"I got it…" breathing out a sigh of relief, the voice that was on the other side of the door a welcomed sound to her ears the still confused woman smiled just a little.

And a second later there he stood, all six foot four inches of him looking as normal and as happy as could be… "Can I uh… can I help you?" He asked looking at her as though he'd never laid eye on her before his brow cocking in an identical expression to the one Dean always wore when he was confused.

"Sam…." His name came out in a breath off of the older woman's lips as she reached forward and placed a hand on his forearm, "Thank god you're alright, we've been so worried about you… You need to find your way back now"

"Do I- Do I know you?"

"Of course you do baby… don't you remember?" As the question ended Missouri felt an unwanted pain build inside her head, a flood of overwhelming and false memories filling her mind as she closed her eyes tightly and accepted them.

Sam's graduation….

His mother's birthdays

His father's birthdays…

his engagement to Jess….

His entire life… played out for her like some silent film stuck on fast forward, even beyond the here and now she could see what was yet to come in the quant world where he now resided…. She could see it all a chill running continuously through her bones at what was to come she gasped.

Fear jolted her from the not so heart warming vision and backs to Sam cautious and curious gaze burning into her as though she were some crazy person. "You're in serious trouble…" She whispered finally, bile invading her throat her words trembling.

"I think you need to leave now." His voice had fallen into a cold and distant tone as he closed the door and she heard the lock on the other side click.

Bringing her hand up to knock she never had the chance as she found herself being pulled back into reality against her own desire, something was pushing her out banishing her from Sam's world and bringing her back to her own body.

. . . . .

**Meanwhile…**

With a sharp and uneasy in take of breath Missouri opened her eyes a look of fear etched into her dark features, her brown orbs wide as Dean rose up from where he'd been seated and made his way to her kneeling down and resting his hand on her knee.

"Missouri?"

"We've got to do something…." She choked out slowly before steadying her words, "He's in serious trouble Dean."

"Tell me what you saw." He used the same calm and coaxing tone he'd always used with Sam after one of his mind altering visions as he spoke.

"It's a sandbox, a very deceiving mental sandbox…. He's got no perception of reality, no recollection of a world outside of his own… But just as his physical body is wearing down his celestial being is dissipating as well, and we don't have much time… "

"I need more…" Dean prodded lightly rubbing the bridge of his nose, her answers being far to vague,

"He's trapped and he doesn't even realize it, he had no idea who I even was… I was nothing more than a stranger… His world seems perfect, his girlfriend, your mother, your father, it's all real…

just as real as this room and this reality… At least to Sam it is… And for now he seems happy, content…"

She let out another slow unsteady breath pulling her thoughts together before continuing…

"But when I touched him, when I laid my hand on his flesh I saw what was to come… He's not going to last much longer, he'll wear down... he'll die Dean…. And then we'll lose him."

Dean blinked rapidly and swallowed hard nodding as he took in the harsh and cold reality of what she meant, "Was there anything… Anything at all… Any clue as to what was causing this?"

Missouri's chin cocked a little her expression changing slightly, "There was one thing…

You see most of what I saw whether it'd been past or future had some significance in Sam's life… except for her… A child…

A child he was watching from across the street, as she danced and played with her friends…

The look on his face was as though he were horrified by her presence… As though he knew her from somewhere…

And she was singing… A child's song… I could hear the chill in her words and it was obvious I wasn't the only one…"

"Ring-Around The Rosy?"

Missouri nodded slowly, "Yes…" She rested her hand on Sam's again and closed her eyes.

"Daisy." Dean whispered barely audible, "The little girl who died that night." He cursed at himself inwardly," Sam had been seeing her, and that song… that song has been everywhere…. Haunting him…. It was even written on the wall of the road house the day we found him."

"This isn't a child Dean, it's a demon that much I'm sure of… A powerful evil…"

"Why didn't I see this before?"

Dean's eyes lit up slightly his own mental light bulb going off as he withdrew his cell phone from his pocket and dialed Bobby's number before continuing, "Ring a round the rosy, is a child's song that's true, but it was composed around the black plague, black death as they called it… The connection has to be there…." He stopped speaking when Bobby's voice came on the other line diverting his attention to the phone call…

"Bobby it's Dean, I need you to find out all you can for me about the Black plague, find any demonic connections, just any lead that we might have to go off of, have Ellen help you and when you get something, whatever it is get back to me…."

He didn't bother waiting for a reply as he ended the call and shut his phone, a second realization hitting him as he began running over Missouri's words in his head, the way Sam's life had been so perfect, laid out like a fairytale, mother father, girlfriend…All of it just seemed to be so flawless... Yet incomplete "Missouri?"

"Hmmm?"

"You said that Sam was happy? That mom and Dad and Jess were there right?"

"That's right sugar…" The black woman's eyes fell to her lap avoiding Dean's gaze, she knew exactly where this was going.

"Where was I?"

"You-…. You didn't exist…." her tone was low and sympathetic as still she refused to make eye contact flinching slightly at the sharp intake of breath from the man opposite Sam's bedside. She had always been straight forward, especially with Dean, but she'd never felt as guilty about it as she did at that very moment.

Pain. Unbearable pain shot through Dean at that point, so blinding that he couldn't function.

From what Missouri had told him, had lead him to believe this was Sam's most inner fantasy, his desire…. His perfect world, and Dean….

Dean didn't exist?

He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, he needed out, he needed out now his hands shaking, soul broken, he rose to his feet without so much as a whimper and made his way out of the room…

out of the hospital and into the street holding his breath the entire way….

. . . . .  
_Eh, there it is hides._

_**Mighty Mouse:** _Fictional cartoon superhero of the late 80's and early ninties, having coined the phrase "Here I come to save the day…."  
_  
**Missouri Mosely:** _From the episode home, the psychic John used while trying to make sense of and come to terms with Mary's death, 


	7. Bound and Broken

-1_First of all thank you thank you thank you for all your wonderful feedback on this story so far!!! You guys are amazing. I know a few of you have been wondering so let me clear this up Sam's eyes are in fact open, I'll be getting into that a little more in this chapter. Secondly I wanted to let you know this might be the last update for a week or so I'm going to visit some family in LA and although I'll be writing I don't know if I'll be able to update from there, so I just wanted to let you know! As always enjoy loves._

**And A Child to Lead Him**

_Chapter 7: Bound and Broken_

**March 20th 2008 Continued:**

Slamming the now empty bottle of Jack Daniels down on to the floorboard of the passengers side of the impala, Dean grunted loudly. He'd thought that drowning his sorrows from the past month and a half with an old friend would lighten the heaviness that had consumed his heart… He'd been wrong, he felt worse than ever about everything that had happened and now he was not only depressed but drunk as well.

Looking out the windshield of his car he studied the hospital entrance he'd been walking into and out of everyday for the past eighteen days, he despised those damn doors, he despised what waited for him inside them, hell at this moment in time he despised everything.

When he first stepped out into the parking lot over three hours ago he'd fully intended to head to the nearest bar, blast some loud rock music from the juke box and drowned himself in liquor as far away from this place as he could get… But he couldn't, he couldn't leave Sam like that…. He needed to be close by, he needed to know that he was no more than a few feet away, even if mentally he was absent from this world… Dean still needed to be able to watch over him.

It wasn't just the latest realization that had caused this emotional tornado to finally spin wildly inside of him, it was everything…. All of it, the pain and the suffering he'd been forced to watch Sam struggle with before finally checking out, the cold and harsh realities of the doctors sympathetic speeches every day, telling him, begging him not to lose hope even though the prognosis seemed grim at best. It was the fact that no matter how many books he read, no matter how hard he dug, Dean was answerless… He had no way of helping his brother, he was sitting on the sidelines nothing more than a spectator to his own baby brother's slow decent.

Dean hated feeling helpless…. More than anything he needed to be in control, he needed to handle each and every situation, not just handle, but FIX. When he couldn't, then what the hell good was he? He might as well be the one in that damn bed, because he knew with every ounce of him, that if Sam died, if he let him slip away…..

There would be nothing left in this world for him, and Dean would lay down and die right along side his little brother.

Mulling this over in his mind Dean felt a sickness rise up inside his stomach, it wasn't a nausea brought on by usual bouts of uncontrolled drinking, this was something else, something more permanent and he couldn't shake it no matter how hard he tried.

Drawing his lip into his mouth the intoxicated man gripped the steering wheel of his parked car as hard as he could fighting to keep a loud and anguished sob from escaping his lips, and when one began to anyway he quickly shifted it into a victorious unforgiving growl and shook his head, "Suck it up you pussy…" His voice shook as he reprimanded himself his vile words the only sound against the deafening silence of the dark night surrounding him. "You just have to make him see, make him see and force him back…."

Even after his not so consoling pep talk had crossed his lips, Dean continued to scream those same words at himself inwardly as he threw open the door to the car and stepped out into the street, the chill in the night air might have bitten him on any other night, but not tonight, no,… Dean Winchester was on a mission, he was going to save his brother and there was no time like the present to do it….

"You won't lose him….You won't because you can't…" He mumbled slowly to himself as he took a minute or two to catch his footing and headed for the entrance doors. Even Dean himself was a bit surprised when he'd made it to the elevators and safely inside them without so much as a confrontation or question from any of the busied staff around the main floor of the hospital, but he had none the less and now all he needed to do was make it to Sam's room and everything would be alright, he'd make sure of it…

The uneasiness of the elevator ride against his ever growing intoxication, the JD now flowing freely through his body, had made even stepping off the small lifting device a complicated task as Dean swayed heavily and leaned forward immediately rewarded with the cool white wall only inches away.

Why had he decided to drink so much again? He cursed himself for his uncooperative limbs looking down at his feet his gaze narrowing. "Damn worthless legs!" he growled lowly inhaling deep and long before exhaling again, he needed to compose himself.. He needed to get to Sam and this was not helping any…

One of the nurses sitting only a few feet away at the nurses station eyed the obviously drunken man suspiciously before picking up the receiver to her call phone. She'd recognized him instantly, after all she'd seen him day in and day out for nearly three weeks now, but she could tell there was something very odd about him tonight…

"Dr. Teague, this is Janice… I think you need to come up here right away…" she mumbled into the mouth piece before hanging the phone back up.

Feeling as though he were ready to begin moving again Dean forced himself up off of the wall and began the trek toward his brother's room, swaying like a sea sick drunken pirate the entire way even if he himself hadn't realized it. He'd never remembered Sam's room being this far away before as he tilted his head up to study the numbers on the small wooden doors as he passed by having to say them out loud to actually comprehend them.

"304.….. 305.… "

Janice, a young brunette who couldn't have been more than twenty six stood as she saw Dr. Teague approaching her and frowned in his direction, "I thought I would call you before sticking security on him…" She whispered sympathetically in the doctors ear as she turned her gaze to the drunkard staggering down the hall way. Everyone around the hospital knew about the unfortunate and unique circumstances of the Foster case, and they all felt horrible not only for Sam, but for Dean as well.

"Thank you Janice…" The older man smiled softly before turning his expression back to neutral and stepping in Dean's direction to head him off before he reached Sam's room.

"309.… 310...31-"

"Dean…" The gray haired doctor spoke stern yet low putting his hand out on to Dean's shoulder and stealing his attention from the doors in front of him.

Bloodshot half massed eyes met his and he frowned deeply putting his hand on the younger man's chin examining him, even though it was quite apparent by the stench of whiskey on his breath what the scenario was.

"Doc, my brother…" His words were slurred his mouth moving as though he were in slow motion

"How much have you had to drink tonight son?"

"Gotta get to my brother… Gotta save him….Save Sammy…."

"Sam's fine Dean. How much have you had to drink?"

"I want to see my brother Damn-it why aren't you listening to me?" The irritation was thick in Dean's already not so clear speech as he yanked his chin from the doctor's grasp, the action causing him to immediately stumble on his unsteady legs.

"Woah…Easy…" Doctor Teague was thankful for his quick reflexes as he gripped on to the wobbling man's shoulder tight helping to keep him up right. "You can't see him right now… I don't think it's such a good idea…"

"You can't keep me from him… HE"S MY BROTHER!"

"Dean please…." The older man begged quietly trying to get him to lower his voice a little, "Do you really want him to see you this way?"

"He can't see me! HE CAN'T SEE NOTHIN'… HE'S NOT EVEN IN THERE…. HE'S JUST WOOOSH CHECKED ON OUT WITHOUT EVEN ASKING ME TO COME WITH HIM! HE MLEFT ME AND I WON'T LOSE HIM! I WON'T…."

Giving the shoulder under his grasp a heavy squeeze as he watched his patients older sibling's already red rimmed eyes begin to tear up doctor Teague sighed softly. "You need to get some rest…. I have an extra bed here and I think maybe you-"

"NO! I WANT TO SEE HIM NOW!"

"Please son… don't make me call security…."

The commotion in the hallway pulling her from the light slumber she had managed to fall into Ellen glanced toward Sam, who was still in the sleep portion of the sleep wake cycles his body had automatically put into effect after his "breakdown" for lack of a better word.

Listening for a minute the now awake woman felt her stomach drop to the pit of her feet recognizing one of the two voices immediately and jumping to her feet a worried expression crossing over her features. "Oh shit Dean…." She cursed under her breath sprinting toward the door and out into the hallway.

There he stood on teetering legs, everyone of his limbs swaying lightly as slurs of angry words continued to pour from his lips, his hair and his clothed disheveled, eyes red, skin pale…. Owning a saloon Ellen knew within seconds what was laid out before her.

"Dean sweetie…." She kept her voice calm as she approached coming up beside the doctor and eyeing the eldest remaining Winchester up and down with empathetic eyes.

"Ellen…. Where's Sam? I have to go to Sam…." His jaw clenched as his gaze came to meet one of the very few friends he had left in this world, his expression pleading.

"Sam's sleeping for now honey…. "

"I-I want to see him… I need to see him…. I need to make him understand that I'm here,…. That he needs to wake up, I need him…."

"Dean…" Ellen's voice was hardly a whisper as she spoke, "You can come back tomorrow and talk to him all you want."

"No. Now."

Running a hand through her air Ellen shook her head, sharing a concerned look with the doctor, who spoke a few seconds later, "Why don't I call security and arrange for someone to take him home."

"No." Ellen shook her head, "I'll handle this, I'll call his uncle and have him come pick him up and take him home."

"I need to get back to my rounds, can you handle this?"

"I own a saloon doc, I'm use to handling these situations."

With hesitation in his weary expression Dr. Teague nodded releasing the grip he had on Dean's shoulder with a final comforting squeeze, before stepping away from the two figures who were placed in the middle of the nearly barren hallway.

Dr. Teague had just disappeared around the corner when Dean's knees gave way, his body unable to sustain his own weight any longer, sending him plummeting toward the cool and welcoming tiles beneath him with a grunt of un-satisfaction.

"Sweetie!" Ellen's frown grew as she reached out to little to late to catch the now crumpled figure hunched up on the floor. Kneeling down in front of him she sighed placing a hand on the back of his neck as she heard incoherent mumbles passing through his lips.

Tilting his head back a little by his neck she placed her other hand on his cheek gently, "You still with me Dean?"

"ashes….. Ashes….. We all fall dowwwwwwwn…." He grumbled trying to bow his head back down to the cool tiles it had been resting on previously. His limbs were jelly his brain fogged over, it was safe to say that he was more than three sheets to the wind.

"We need to get you out of here…" she reasoned releasing his cheek and reaching into her pocket to retrieve her cell phone.

"I want Sammy." He retorted, "I want my brother back… and…and…and I want him okay. Please Ellen, please bring my brother back, please let me see him.. You can't keep me from him… I have to save him, my responsibility… my Sammy, I have to save my Sammy."

Without warning the concerned woman watched as tears flew down Dean's cheeks openly small sobs choking out to accompany them. "Shhh come on now sweetie." She rubbed the back of his neck slightly…

"Bring Sammy back…. Bring him back damn-it!"

Hearing Bobby's voice on the other end of the phone finally pick up, Ellen only felt a small amount of relief as she spoke, "Bobby it's Ellen… You need to get to the hospital right away…. "

Bobby felt his heart jump in his chest as he swallowed hard, a million different horrible scenarios playing through his mind as he cleared his throat. _"Is it…. Sam?" _

But as he listened closer Bobby knew the answer to his question before Ellen had the chance to speak again, Dean's pleas for his brother being heard loud and clear from the back ground. _"I'll be right there." _

Clicking off the phone and sticking it back into her pocket Ellen scooted in closer to Dean pressing his head into her chest just a little trying to comfort him just as she had done her own child so many times in the past shushing him quietly and trying in vein to calm him.

It had taken Bobby only twenty minutes to get to the hospital, stepping off the elevator his eyes immediately landed on the two figures placed almost strategically in the hospital hallways center. With a sigh of not so much irritation but rather sympathy and understanding, he made his way toward them and leaned down sharing a look with Ellen and placing his hand on Dean's back preparing to hoist him up.

They had all been expecting something of this nature, actually waiting for it even, they'd watched John's eldest son carefully since his brother's collapse, watched him shut down, take the world and more on his shoulders and do it all with less tears than there should have been… He'd always thought he had to be the soldier his father installed in him, and often forgot that human emotion was a necessity to keep on living… especially for a soul in crisis just as Dean's seemed to be.

"Come on kiddo." He kept his voice gentle as Dean's head came up slowly and flopped back as though his neck were broken staring up through glazed eyes in Bobby's direction and blinking trying to bring him into focus.

"Hey, ….Bobby." By now the tears had again subsided and all that remained was the rim of red around his glassy eyes as Dean fought his inner demons to offer a half hearted smile.

"It's safe to say you've seen better days." placing on hand under each of Dean's arm pits, Ellen helping from the front angle it took only a few seconds for them to pull Dean up to his feet. Acting quickly, the eldest male braced the body in his grasp against his own. "Geezus you weigh a ton…"

Dean wanted to protest… wanted Sam… but his mouth didn't seem to form the words as he felt himself being dragged from the hospital against his will.

Once inside the elevator Bobby leaned Dean against the corner wall and tapped his face harshly, "You gotta hang in there kid, I can't carry you…" He made sure his voice held the tone of an undeniable order as he spoke,

"Sorry…. Sorry bout this Bobby…."

"You think you're the first Winchester to do this to me?" The man in the signature trucker hat couldn't help but chuckle, "Please, your daddy was constantly belly up in some bar where I had to come rescue him… Like father like son I guess eh?"

"No." Dean shook his head feeling himself once more being drug somewhere his feet no longer wanting to move on their own. "No see… Dad would no what to do… Dad would save Sammy, Dad wouldn't fail…."

Bobby cringed inwardly but didn't respond thankful when they finally reached his old beat up pick up truck as he opened the passenger door and hoisted the lax form of his old hunting buddies son up into it…

"Damn you John, damn you for what you've done to these boys…" He spat silently to himself as he made his way around to the drivers seat and climbed in, looking over to find that in those three passing seconds Dean had managed to pass out cold against the passenger door, his head against the window.

_**Meanwhile…**_

_Sam felt terrible, worse than terrible, as he pulled the old wool blanket his mother had give him tighter around himself and allowed his head to lull back listlessly against the pillow, he couldn't remember ever feeling this bad before… His stomach was cramped, his head pounding, his throat dry and every single inch of him was wracked with a throbbing pain and he closed his eyes and shivered tensely._

_He was cold…. So cold…_

"_Still not feeling well baby?" He could feel what he knew to be Jess' body slide down next to him her cool comforting hand coming to rest on the firry flesh of his cheek._

"_It'll pass…" he whispered leaning into her touch, "It's just the flu or something…"_

"_I'm sure you're right…." _

_Sam found himself again thinking about the strange yet oddly familiar looking woman who had come to his door hours earlier…. Maybe he shouldn't have turned her away so quickly, maybe he should have listened to what she had to say… After all she did seem familiar to him… just as quite a few things seemed to lately. It wouldn't have hurt to hear her out…._

_So why the hell had he turned her away so quickly… _

"_Sam…" His lover's voice cut through his thoughts again and he opened his eyes to look at her, choking on his own breath as he did so…_

_It wasn't Jess who he saw when his eyes opened, it was that child…. The child whose eyes he'd sworn he watched shift from innocent to evil not so long ago on the street as he passed her… A chill ran through his body again, this time it was deeper and colder than the one only minutes before. She was looking through him, not at him, she was glaring, as though she were ripping his insides apart with no more than her demonic eyes…._

"_Baby…"_

_Sam shut his eyes tightly fighting off what he figured to be no more than a fever induced hallucination before opening them again the child had faded away and all that hovered over him once again was his beautiful loving fiancée with eyes as beautiful and endless as the sky above._

**Meanwhile….**

Ellen returned to post at Sam's bedside her heart weary from the scene having just unfolded throughout the past hour, she couldn't help but find herself thankful for the fact that Sam had not been aware of any of it, if he'd known what his brother was feeling, how hard this all was, if he had any idea at all…

She ran her fingers over his hand softly nearly jumping out of her skin when one of the many monitors surrounding Sam's weary body began to blare loudly through the surrounding silence… "SAM?!?!"

Within seconds the room filled with nurses Dr. Teague on their heels as she found herself ushered from the room the door closed blocking her outside.

Pacing the small space outside of the door the worried family friend kept resisting the urge to once again pull her cell phone out and summon Bobby back to her side. Dean needed Bobby right now, which left her with Sam…. She thought briefly about calling Missouri, but she knew that it was a useless notion at least until she knew exactly what the hell was going on.

Twenty-Seven minutes, that was how long the door remained closed, that was how long she remained clueless until finally Dr. Teague stepped out into the hallway an expression that eased her inner turmoil only the slightest bit placed across his features.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked unable to keep her own worried emotions in check as she stopped pacing and looked at him.

"It's alright, Sam's alright…." The man cooed reassuringly, "What you heard was the alarm going of… Sam's developed a fever… a pretty high one…"

"How high?"

"103.2, but we've begun administering antibiotics to lower it and hopefully keep it down…."

"How… I mean he's not even doing anything,…. How could he suddenly just develop a fever?"

"There are a number of things that could have triggered this, my most likely guess is that it's due to the fact that his immune system is low, he's more susceptible to germs and bacteria without the ability to fight them off on his own… We're going to monitor him more closely now, we need to make sure that he doesn't develop pneumonia."

Ellen nodded, her own thoughts drifting off to the information Missouri had given her earlier, Sam was in trouble… This wasn't just some accidental fever…. Sam's Body was shutting down, just as Missouri had warned it would….

Time was running out.

**No key needed this time!!!!!**


	8. The Hand of the Infected

-1_I know you all have been waiting so patiently for this next part and I am grateful!!! Thank you so much for your replies to chapter 7, and I hope that you enjoy this one just as much!_

**And A Child To Lead Him**

_Chapter 8: The Hand of the Infected_

**March 21st 2008:**

Dean grunted uncomfortably as he rose up off the bed and on to his tired limbs, the blinding light filtering in through a crack in the near by blinds causing his head to instantly begin pounding as he hissed and shut his eyes tightly rubbing at his temples.

"You're up." Bobby smirked at the disheveled and obviously hung over man as he walked by him heading toward the kitchen.

Flashes of the events from the night before dancing through his skull, Dean groaned before looking at his watch. It was nearly half past nine which meant he'd been away from Sam for more than twelve hours a time lapse far to long for his liking. Grabbing his jacket he swallowed down the sick feeling inside his throat and threw it on as the smell of fresh welcoming coffee invaded his sense.

Stumbling into the kitchen headed straight for the coffee pot pouring almost half of it into a to go thermos and sighing as he took a satisfying gulp of the steaming liquid.

"Where do you think you're off to?" Bobby questioned from where he sat at the small kitchen table.

Dean exhaled loudly and shifted on his heels to face the older man looking at him as though that were the stupidest question he's ever heard, where did Bobby think he was going? Where was he always going these days? "I need to get back to the hospital."

"Not yet you don't. Have a seat kid." The unshaven man leaned back a little more in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest using his foot to push the chair in front of him out a little further.

"Bobby look I'm sorry about last night I just-"

"Sit down Dean."

The younger of the two men rolled his neck another frustrated sigh escaping his mouth as he plopped down into the decrepit wooden chair his left leg slung lazily over his right, his own arms crossing over his chest. His demeanor almost identical to Bobby's as he stared across the table a disapproving gleam in his eyes. "What?"

"I'm worried about you kid, and since your daddy aiin't here to light a stick under your ass that means I got to… "

Dean's brows creased together in the middle as he spoke, "What are you talking about? I said I was fine. I just let things get a little outta hand last night that's all it won't happen again."

"I'm not just talking about last night Dean."

If there was one thing Bobby Singer had learned about this Winchester men it was that when they had something to hide, some unspoken emotion bottled up inside of them, there first instinct was to jump on the defensive and defend themselves as though they were under attack. Therefore it was no surprise to their longtime friend when the next words out of Dean's mouth carried a harsh and defensive tone, "I can handle myself."

"No one can handle themselves all the time son. Not even your daddy could of held out under the pressure you've been under for as long as you have without cracking.."

"Look…" Dean ran a hand through his hair and then down over his face, he knew what Bobby was trying to do, and he couldn't allow it, he couldn't just open up and lay all his raw emotions on the table, it wasn't the Winchester way… And it sure as hell wasn't the Dean way. "I appreciate what you are trying to do… I appreciate that you are worried about me, but I'm not the one who needs your worried right now, I'm not the one on the verge of dying…"

"But you are… You're in worse shape than Sam is, and it doesn't take a doctor to figure that one out. What I saw last night, what we all saw last night, wasn't the display of a 'fine' man, your headed over the edge Dean, why won't you let me pull you back?"

"You want to keep me from going over the edge Bobby? You want to help me? Save me? Protect me?"

"We wouldn't be sitting here sharing a horse whisperer moment if I didn't."

"Then find me the answers I need!" The angered man inhaled sharply rising to his feet a fire appearing instantaneously behind his eyes unlike any that Bobby had seen there before. "Find a way to save Sam and you will save us both… Until then, you know where I'll be."

The last word coming out just as vengeful as the first Dean felt as though his chest were going to explode, his insides aching as his hands shook, he needed to get out, he needed t leave before he said something he was going to regret, admitted to an emotion he was not yet ready to share… to face….

Heading toward the door it was the loud and interrupting ring of the telephone that caused him to freeze on his heels his breath escaping his lungs his knees growing weak. Something told him to freeze, something told him to wait… Something stopped him.

**Meanwhile….**

The sound of one of the many monitors above Sam's head going off, once again pulled Ellen from her restless slumber as she jumped to her feet an was at his bedside within seconds, the sight that awaited her frightening her to the bone. She'd been asleep no more than four hours,….

Sam's skin was deep with jaundice, dark black circles under his eyes causing his weary orbs to appear as though they were no more than vacant holes inside his skull. His hands were shaking his lips parted slightly as his chest rose and fell with great difficulty.

Within seconds the room was again flooded with nurses, Dr. Teague springing into action as he came up to the side rails of the bed and lowered the one closest to him. "His fever's elevated, 103.6.. I need an LFT stat, BP's eighty over forty and falling…"

Ellen tried to fight off the hands now pushing her outside into the hallway as the doctor's voice grew further and further away until the door was once again closed in front of her and she could no longer hear the commotion on the other side.

"Dean… I've got to call Dean"

_**Meanwhile…**_

_Sam's eyes opened slowly, his body felt as though it weighed no less than two thousand pounds, more than half of those inside his head as he fought to lift it off the pillow, he was tired…. So damn tired he could hardly keep himself awake as he felt Jess' soft hand rest against his cheek in an attempt to rouse him a little further._

"_Still feeling yucky love?" she whispered softly seconds later her lips only a centimeter or two from his ear._

"_I'm tired…."_

"_You've been sleeping for nearly three days baby."_

"_I know." The obviously ill man frowned the taste of sickness bathing his tongue as he swallowed hard and fast trying to fight it off before lulling his head to the side and beginning to wretch, his hand coming to grip his stomach in vain to try to ease the pain gnawing like a rabid dog at his insides._

"_It's just the flu baby… try to relax you're going to be alright I promise-" Sam brought his tired fever masked eyes to meet his girlfriend's as he studied her loving face. Her mouth was still moving, she was still talking but all he could hear was a low murmur, her words over shadowed by a familiar sing song voice that caused his head to immediately begin pounding._

_A child's voice._

"_Ring Around the Rosy, pocket full of posies_

_Ashes… Ashes, we all fall down."_

_The same child's bone chilling voice began repeating it's self over and over again each time louder than the next, each word more head splitting than the previous, Sam found himself wishing and praying for the blissful silence of unconsciousness…_

**Meanwhile…**

"Harvelle's Road House." Dean answered the ringing phone slowly trying to clear the frog from his throat as he did so…

"Dean?" Ellen's frantic tone came on to the line and the already worried man felt his heart begin to leap inside his chest as his wide eyes came to meet Bobby's an unmistakable fear present loud and clear inside of them

"What's going on?" He questioned sticking his free hand into his pocket and fiddling with his keys preparing himself to run for the door the minute the phone call had ended.

"I-I don't know, you need to come here…. Sam… and the doctor's, something is wrong Dean, something it very wrong… "

Dean didn't even bother to answer as he hung up the receiver staring at his hand for a minute and trying to will his flesh to stop shaking as he drew in a deep, not so refreshing breath and exhaled it a simple statement escaping his lips. "Sam… We need to go…."

Bobby however was already a step ahead of him as he headed for the door.

__

Three hours, three hours of waiting, three hours of hoping for a miracle as Dean held tight to the cold flesh of his brother's hand pressing it against his chest carefully, wishing that he could feed strength into him, force him to wake up.

He looked like death, he looked worse than death if that was even possible, an image that would forever remain engraved inside his mind a constant reminder that Sam's life was currently hanging delicately in the balance and at any second his breath could leave him, his heart could stop and he would be lost forever to a land far from here….

Bobby stood beside the distraught man's chair his hand placed protectively against Dean's back as his phone began vibrate inside his pocket diverting his attention from the tragedy at hand.

"This is Bobby." He kept his voice hushed as he answered skipping the formalities .

Both Dean and Ellen cast their gazes toward him as silence fell over the room all of them praying for this to be the information they had been waiting on.

Bobby nodded wordlessly a few times even though he could not be seen by the person on the other end before finally the suspense was halted and with a thank you he hung up the phone. "Edo Animus." He looked to Sam checking him over from top to bottom with his eyes as he continued. "He's an ancient Demon derived by hell spawns to reek vengeance on those who have done them wrong, Edo Animus Translated to mean He Who Devours souls is summoned by a demon once he or she has been banished to Hell. Using this Demon the damned spirit can take revenge in a slow and drawn out death sentence for the targeted. "

"But… the little girl…."

"Edo Animus is a sandbox demon… sort of like a reaper half breed, he creates a vale for his victims until their reality… their sanity slips from them and they are forced into his world, where he uses selective memories to create a limited paradise, altering reality into a warped version, giving his victims a false sense of security and happiness all the while devouring their souls bit by bit… Their bodies shutting down…."

"But the child… I-I saw her too…" Dean whispered confusion quickly spreading across his features.

"You were meant to. Whoever has stuck this Demon on Sam knows enough about him to know about you, about the strength of your relationship with him… Which I would guess is also why you've been omitted from his false reality. You could trigger memories, real memories and destroy the illusion."

"So… His body really is shutting down then? Like a faulty machine?"

Bobby nodded, "There's more…."

"After all this there's more?" Ellen felt her stomach lurch.

"If the Demon manages to get a hold of his soul strong enough… and eventually he will… He'll take him down to hell to face whoever… Or whatever had called upon him."

"The yellow eyed Demon?"

"No." Dean shook his head reassuringly. "We used the colt, that yellow eyed bastard was demolished, he's not vacationing down below somewhere…"

"No…." Bobby shook his head a little, "but his daughter is… After that stunt we pulled on her last year… She'd do anything to destroy us ."

"Meg."

"Meg." Bobby nodded

"How do we stop her?"

"Missouri is still working on that one, the ancient text used to summon him holds the key to his demise and there are no English translations up to this point. Legend has it that the hand of the infected is the hand that can be deadly."

"Sam has to defeat her?" Ellen couldn't help but sound unsure as she stepped forward and placed her hand on the still vegetative man's thigh.

The sound of the door opening feet away brought all conversation came to a stand still Dr. Teague entering the room with a new set of test results in his grasp and a solemn look across his features.

"What is it doc " Dean swallowed the bile inside his mouth the hissing of his brother's now customary ventilator becoming deafeningly loud as he found his focus staying intensely on the older man's gaze.

"His liver is failing." The man spoke openly, aware by the looks he was receiving there was no reason nor time to beat around the bush. "His fever has elevated and there is a yet to be determined infection traveling through his blood stream at an alarming rate attacking his vital organs. We're afraid that after his liver the infection will travel to his heart and then his brain… his body is fighting very hard… But it's a losing battle…."

"Are- are you telling me….." Dean shook his head his eyes rimming red yet again with new tears of frustration and fear as his head snapped up to look at Bobby, "Go. Go help Missouri find the answers we need and don't either one of you step foot back in this room until you have them."

Dr. Teague cast his eyes from one man to the next a look of confusion replacing the sympathy on his face. "I'm sorry?"

"How much time doc?" Dean quipped ignoring his question of oblivion.

"There's no way to tell… If we can keep the fever at bay and find a combonation to at least slow the infection…. A couple of weeks….Maybe, at most a month."

"And if you can't?"

Dr. Teague dropped his eyes toward the ground, "There's no telling… We've never seen anything like this Mr. Foster…Hours…Days…"

"HURRY!" Dean growled holding tighter to the hand still against his chest, he was not going to allow this to happen, if it took every breath he still possessed he was going to figure this out. He wouldn't lose the last tie he had to humanity, the last soul he carried with him along such a painful and miserable journey.

"I'll get that bitch no matter what… She'll pay for this…."

**LFT: **Liver Function Tests


	9. Faltering Facade

-1_Thank you so much for your replies to the last chapter, as you all know it is because of you that I keep my stories going!!! I am sorry it took a while for this next chapter, but since the story only has a few chapters left to it I want everything to come out perfectly._

**And A Child to Lead Him**

_Chapter 9: Faltering Façade _

**March 22nd 2008:**

_Every bone inside his body ached as Sam opened his eyes to find the sun had long since given way to the moon, the world surrounding nothing more than black shadows dancing across the walls from the trees outside. Casting his eyes around the empty space he frowned to himself and cleared his throat trying to find as much of his voice as he could before calling out to his companion, his voice sounding as weak as he felt._

_So distant and so tired he hardly recognized it as his own. "Jess?"_

_There was no answer, he waited, listened for her to call back to him… for the sound of her footsteps approaching, but heard nothing. _

_Slowly he pulled his haggard body up to a sitting position ignoring the uneasiness that rose up inside his stomach as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed and forced himself to stand. _

_The minute his feet touched the ground, the comfort of the mattress no longer beneath him, he regretted it, a white hot searing pain ravaging his insides, shooting through out his entire body mercilessly. His legs less than jell-o as he collapsed down on to the rug below him without meaning to._

"_Jess…." A small grunt escaped his lips as he tried again to call for her, it was more than obvious that something was seriously wrong… He needed help, he needed a doctor… He needed something._

_The room around him danced before his glassy orbs, the walls spinning as he closed his eyes as tightly as he could and swallowed down the vomit now invading his wind pipe._

_Still no one came…He was alone… He knew that now as a chill ran down his spine and sweat formed on his brow exhaustion over taking him._

_He could hear his heart racing inside his chest, thumping harshly against his rib cage, he could heart the blood pumping through his veins…. _

_Something was wrong…_

_Putting his hands beneath himself he tried meekly to pull his uncooperative body to a standing position once again , but it was useless… useless and painful…_

_Breathing out hard fear began to over take him as the sounds around him, the trees outside, his own heart beat, everything dulled to a wordless roar and a sickeningly familiar voice filled his ears…_

_Sweet…. Innocent…. And chillingly demonic she sang to him as though her lips were right next to his ear, he could feel her breath hot on his flesh and hear every words as clear as day._

"_Ring around the rosy….._

_Pocket full of posies …._

_Ashes…Ashes…. _

_We all fall down…."_

_Followed by a soul ripping giggle that rang through the air like a fog horn, before she began to sing again…._

_Even though against the sound of the child's voice his thoughts became scattered… broken, Sam remembered the woman who had shone up at his door a few days earlier…._

_The fear in her eyes and her words as she spoke… "You're in danger" She'd said… Why hadn't he listened? Why hadn't he heard what she had to say? More importantly though, the more he thought about her, the more familiar she seemed._

_She wasn't just a face he'd seen somewhere before, she was important to him, like he'd known her, she'd been a part of him, his life…. So why the hell couldn't he remember her the way he should? The way he remembered Jess, and his mother, his father….._

"_Mom…" the word barely escaped his lips as his weary orbs came up to rest on the telephone only feet away… He needed to call his mom, she would know what to do… she'd always known what to do… Always taken care of him when he was sick before… She'd help him._

_Knowing he was not going to make it to his feet, the horrified man found the strength to army crawl across the floor toward the night stand, a shaky and clammy hand reaching for the telephone. _

_Where had Jess gone, why'd she left him? What the hell was wrong with him? So many questions found themselves running through his mind over and over again as he picked up the receiver and placed it to his ear._

_An expression of sheer horror crossing his face as he turned it on to find the line dead and soundless. Not so much as a click on the other end…._

_Dropping the phone from his grasp he found his breath had escaped him, he was confused…. So confused…. _

_Resting his head back against the nightstand he closed his eyes as a single tear fell from his eye followed by another and then another…._

_If only there was someone, anyone who could help him, who was there for him… who'd protect him…_

_And he couldn't help but feel there was supposed to be…_

_He couldn't open his eyes, he was not going to open his eyes…. He was just going to sit here, stay here…._

_The next breath he drew in caused a blood curdling scream to escape his lips as his a pain ripped through his chest like a dagger piercing his heart._

_His flesh felt as though it were burning as though there were flames surrounding him biting at his skin and singing the hair right from his body… His appendages felt as though they were being pulled, as though limb by limb something was tearing him apart. _

_Forcing him down… forcing him into darkness…._

_Panting, struggling to keep breathing his eyes flew open on instinct and across the room he watched as a black crow came swooping toward the window a loud caw accompanying it as it crashed into the glass before sliding down it._

_Hell…. This was hell… it had to be hell…. And he had no escape…._

"_Ring around the rosy….._

_Pocket full of posies …._

_Ashes…Ashes…. _

_We all fall down…."_

_Blinking, unable to do much else, his lids slid closed then opened again and when they did so a flash before his eyes brought a vision…. A room a place he'd never seen before…_

_The walls were white and sterile, the light above his head blindingly florescent… And there was a face… A man's face hovering over him, an expression of worry etched into the man's familiar features, tears rolling down his cheeks similar to the ones Sam himself had been crying moments before…_

_A hand holding his own so tight it was as though this man, were clutching to him for dear life…. The pain and anguish he wore, the look in his eyes… it was as though Sam were the only thing in this word, as though he were everything to whoever this stranger was…._

_The man's mouth is moving but like a silent film his words are muted, over dubbed by the vicious nursery rhyme of the child still singing in his ear._

_When he blinked again, the man and the room were gone, once again only darkness and pain engulfed him as he brought his hands to his ears and covered them quickly. Closing his eyes he found himself concentrating on the strangers face, the familiar man, with the worry in his eyes…. _

_After all there was nothing else he could do…. No way out…._

"_DEAN!!!!!!!" He heard himself scream before registering what he'd said…._

_Dean…. Dean, that was the man hovering over him…. Dean was his name, but who was he? Someone important? Someone who could help? A savior?_

_Pulling himself into a ball Sam's body shook as he fought to keep himself intact, tried to dull out everything around him and prayed for help to come…. To save him…_

**Meanwhile…**

Dean could hear every second on the clock above his head tick by as though it were a sonic boom sounding though only his ears as he watched expressionless and numb, sitting across the room as the doctors ran their latest round of tests. Ellen sat beside him her hand placed firmly in an attempt to sooth and comfort on his forearm Bobby and Missouri had been answerless searching for over ten hours now… And time was slipping away….

The heart monitor above Sam's head sped up again faster than it had only an hour before, the nurse injecting something else into his brother's IV, Dean felt nausea over taking him once again and forced it away. "Come on Sammy…. Hold on little brother hold on…." He begged.

Shaking his head wearily Dr. Teague studied the machines above Sam's head and breathed out only the smallest sigh of relief as his heart rate regulated again before making a note in the young man's chart and turning to face the boys relatives on the far side of the room…

"Mr. Foster…" He began his tone soft and sympathetic, something that Dean was getting relatively use to these days… "His fever has spiked again, he's reading at 104.1.… As you well known that is dangerously high, I'm going to have the nurses pack his limbs in ice to try to bring it down… But whatever infection this is… it's spreading far to quickly for our medical team to even begin to understand…. His brain function had dropped… his blood pressure is low and as you know we are having trouble keeping his heart rate regular….

His body is working to hard… I'm afraid time is running out and…. If this continues he's….He's not going to survive… As it is now I think we should discuss a DNR…."

Dean froze, he knew exactly what those three letters stood for… He'd seen enough ER to know where this conversation was going… He felt the hand on his arm tight and shook his head quickly… "NO! NO WAY…"

"Dean…" The doctor took a step toward him and kneeled down, "The likely hood that your brother is ever going to wake up is less than hopeful as it is… And if he does wake up, his brain activity is so low… He's clinically….classified as brain dead… You need to have realistic expectations here son.

If Sam wakes up the best you could hope for would be limited extremity function and more than likely profound mental retardation… He'll be a vegetable, we're talking long term care, hospitalization… medical care…. You'll need to-"

"STOP!" Dean growled as he rose to his feet his own world spinning as he was being forced to listen… to digest what the doctor was saying…. "Sam is all I have… he's all I fucking have and you are NOT going to let him die!"

As the last word crossed his lips Dean could no longer fight the vomit building inside his throat as on quivering knees he barely made it to the waste basket before falling face first into it and beginning to wretch….

He was not going to lose Sam, this doctor had no idea what the hell he was talking about, what he was suggesting Dean do…

No, they'd been in life threatening situations before, and this was no different they were going to beat it and Sammy was going to be fine…

Ellen was to her feet and crouching behind Dean in a matter of seconds rubbing circles on his back as she looked up her eyes meeting the doctors, "I think maybe you should go…" She fought to keep her voice even, she knew the older man was trying to be sympathetic… Trying to be gentle, but even she herself felt a tinge of anger toward him at the moment.

"I'll have the nurse bring the papers by… At least for you to have a look at, I really think this is the best thing for both boys…."

Heaving until there was nothing left inside of him Dean fell back on to his knees hunching over a little as he wiped at his mouth before his gaze came up to meet Ellen's, his face was paler than she could remember it ever being as he spoke his words uneven and shaky.

"I-I won't sign it…. I won't sign that shit and let him die…. Their going to find the answer… And if they don't… I'll find another way… No matter what it takes Sam is not going to die."

There was a finality, a vengeance in his statement that caused Ellen's blood to run cold as she dropped her hand from his back and watched as he stood and made his way on uneasy legs to his brother's bedside once again.

"You hear that Sammy… You're not going anywhere no matter what it takes…" he whispered in a gentle tone as he lowered his exhausted form into the chair beside Sam's bed once again and took his baby brother's hand into his own…

Sam's flesh was hot… burning to the touch as Dean found tear after tear falling from his eyes and rolling down his cheeks as he stared into the pale and lax features of the one he'd sworn to protect… the one who was now slipping away from him.

**Meanwhile…**

Looking at the stacks of open books spread out before the two of them each one having been read over thoroughly at least once Bobby shifted toward Missouri and sighed loudly rubbing the bridge of his nose and watching as she tossed another antique book onto the pile the sadness in her eyes deepening once again…

"Let me guess… Nothing?"

She shook her head, "Nothing…."

"There's only one left…" The hunter whispered picking up the last unopened book with it's black leather binding and holding it in his grasp closing his eyes and praying to whoever was listening that insides these ancient writings he would find the key they needed, the answers they pleaded for….

He'd seen to many Winchester's fall to the hands of the demon world already, and if it was the last thing he did, if it took every breath his body contained… He would protect those boys from the horrible fate their father and mother had been given….

They'd spent all night deciphering the Latin summoning incantation word for word they uncovered it's meaning… which to their dismay they found only to be a piece to a much bigger puzzle, the key to Edo Animus fall was found in an even older incantation drawn up by a group of monks who'd banished him over a thousand years before….

The hand of the inflicted was only a single part of the ritual… They still needed to call him out, to bring him forth… And it wasn't like they could just reach inside Sam and pull him out kicking and screaming… There were words… powerful words used in these situations….

Words they could not find….

Words Bobby and Missouri both hoped lay just beyond the black leather cover of the book in the gray haired man's hand.

Drawing her lip into her mouth the tired and hopeful dark skinned woman watched as the man beside her opened the small book and studied it feverishly.

All breath… All time and all movement had seized aside from the turning of old musty smelling pages….

Minutes seemed like hours passing by until finally Bobby's had stopped moving his eyes studying the words intensely a crooked and victorious smile crossing his lips as he turned to face Missouri… "Call Dean… Tell him we're on our way…"

**Key**

**DNR: **Do Not Resuscitate order given by the family members of those who have little to no chance of survival due to serious sickness of injury, usually used in terminal cases

**Profound Mental Retardation:** IQ level of less than 20.


	10. The Fires Below

-1_Well damn you all made me feel so warm and fuzzy with your compliments and reviews of the last chapter, so without delay I give you the final chapter to this story (except of course for the epilogue which will fallow shortly.) Thank you so much for seeing this story through and I hope that you enjoy the conclusion as much as you have the rest of it._

**And A Child To Lead Him**  
_Chapter 10: From The Fires of Hell - Conclusion_

**March 23rd 12:02 am**

Dean had been forced to watch helplessly his proverbial hands tied as over the previous two hours Sam's condition had worsened, the younger of the two brothers skin having visibly shifted from pale white to sickeningly gray. Like placing a band aid on an ax wound, the ice packs the nurses had surrounded his body with did nothing to bring the fever down or even maintain it's current temperature, the thermometer now reading 104.5.

Eyeing the yellow DNR form on the nightstand Dean snarled at the small piece of paper... an inanimate object that seemed so insignificant, but in reality, was more powerful than the demon it's self that had ravaged his brother's body.

Dean knew that their hours had turned to minutes… He knew that if bobby didn't come through soon Sam would be lost to him forever.

The realization more than he could stand to bare he did the only thing he could, he sat beside his brother, ran his fingers through shaggy uncombed brown locks and whispered silent prayers to the heavens which he never prayed, asking… begging them to spare the life of the only person he had left.

Ellen felt tears she'd been holding back for so long now sliding down her cheeks as she watched from the opposite side of the room, whispering her own prayers to protect not only Sam, but Dean as well.

She watched as the devastated man's hands shook uncontrollably with fear and desperation, his neck permanently craned downward studying the still and nearly lifeless body before him.

_**Meanwhile…**___

Sam remained huddled in the corner of the black abyss his eyes shut tightly as he tried to will himself back into the blissful reality which had slowly slipped from him these past few days…

Back to Jess, to their life together, to the warmth of the sun and the beauty of the spring… But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself this was no more than a vivid and gut wrenching nightmare, no matter how hard he believed, he remained in the dark nothingness, accompanied only by the chilling nursery rhyme that had haunted him so endlessly.

"Ring around the rosy  
Pocket full of posies  
Ashes…. Ashes  
We all fall down."

"Leave me alone…. Please just leave me alone…." He pleaded his voice so shattered and so small it bared no resemblance to his own anymore.

The ground below him beginning to tremble, the frightened young man's eyes flew open against his will and horror once again embedded his features…

**Meanwhile…..**

Pulling into the parking lot of the hospital, Bobby tucked the brown paper bag filled with the supplies they were going to need under his arm before leading the way through the entrance doors, Missouri fallowing directly on his heels.

"It's coming…" She whispered worriedly as they walked, "It's coming I can feel it…. We need to hurry…"

Although he heard loud and clear what the stout dark skinned woman had said, Bobby gave no acknowledgement to it, no reply, as the elevator sounded alerting them that they had arrived at the third floor.

Stepping into the room the two figures turned and closed the door before locking it.

Closing the five of them inside and locking the rest of the world out.

The eldest hunter made his way across the room holding the opened black leather book out in Dean's direction and wasting no time with formalities as he spoke. "The ritual will call forth the demon from the dimension where it resides, loosening the grip it has on Sam, but without his hand and the blood which flows through it, the bastard will just jump right back in there and pull him down into the fires where he is currently headed."

Dean nodded taking in each word as he rose to his feet making sure to keep his hand securely wrapped around his brothers.

"We have to contain it…." Bobby continued as he held out the Key of Solomon to Ellen, "Make a trap on the ceiling, it won't hold the thing for long but it's going to have to be enough."

Missouri's eyes widened and all faces in the room froze to watch as she hurried to Sam's bed side and laid a hand on the boy's shoulder just as he began to shake violently.

"Hurry…." She breathed out her voice strained by the pain and suffering she felt being released from the body beneath her touch and coursing through her veins.

"SAMMY!" Dean swallowed turning to go to him as he felt a strong hand on his chest halting him.

"Dean, if you want to help him you need to focus now…." Bobby's voice was stern and demanding as their eyes locked.

The heart monitor over Sam's head sounded mercilessly, it's shrill screeching cry ringing out into the stale air the pulsing beat quickening to an alarming rate.

_**Meanwhile**__….___

The trembling turned into violent shaking...

The walls began to rattle forcefully threatening to give way any second, the invisible flames that had singed his skin before, now as intense as a knife ripping through him, he could feel it burning from the inside out…. Pulling on him…. Dragging him to an unknown place….

He's in the room again… Dean watching over him….

He's along side Jess a sigh of contentment escaping his lips….

He's on a street corner a child's cry ringing through his ears…

A chill runs down his spine even as the heat of the flames continue to burn against his flesh…

He's huddled in the corner of a familiar place, the smell of old wood and alcohol filling his senses as the caw of a crow over powers the child's voice still surrounding him.

The black feathered bird lunges toward him, breaking through the glass and falling down dead at his feet….

Memories… so many memories filled his head that the room began to spin, the walls still shaking they began to crack and peel…..

"Help me….. Please…Dean… Somebody…. Help me…." He calls out his tone soft and nearly soundless as the voice of Lily Pierson grew louder and louder by the second…

Fire…

Fire rose from the floor as though the earth it's self had split down the middle and released the flames of hell before him….

The petrified man froze.

The heat unbearable his limbs pinning themselves against the wood behind him….

Out of the flames she appeared….

And he remembered….

Everything all of it…

Came rushing back no more bits and pieces, no more fragments of a life he couldn't comprehend…

She stood before him, he knew who she was, what she was… and what she'd done.

But it was to late…

The crimson stain on her white nightgown began to ooze and drip, a river of fresh blood trailing down her body and pooling around her feet… 

Her thin lips curved into a smile, her endless darks orbs turning as red as the blood pouring from her as she stepped in closer to him.

Still he could not move…

"Ring around the rosy…." She began again her hand reaching out to him, the hand of no more than a child, but a hand that Sam knew was exactly the opposite of that..

Before she could even reach him, his head pounding to match the quickening pace of his heart thumping in his chest…

He could feel the warm wet sensation of his own blood beginning to drip from his nostrils and on to the floor in front of him, the taste of copper building in the back of his throat. 

A haze of darkened evil called to him as she drew in closer and closer her coy smile pulling apart as a sing song demonic chuckle once more flew from her lips.

**Meanwhile….**

Dean's head shot up from where he was currently salting the window frame, just for safe measure to make sure this demonic son of a bitch was not let loose on the rest of the world, the sound of a choked out and nearly strangled breath from his brother's form stealing his attention.

"NOW…." Missouri cried out her own eyes tearing over as she looked around the room tightening her grasp in Sam's shoulder as his convulsions worsened and a trail of blood began to flow from his nose. "We have to do it now…."

They were loosing him.

Bobby nodded as the figures in the room all came together around Sam's bed Dean standing of course directly at his brother's head a pure silver knife ready and waiting in his left hand as his right came to rest on Sam's forearm with a strong and nearly violent grip

Bobby's voice was loud and vengeful as he spoke his words sounding smooth and confident as though he'd spoken them a million times before… This was of course because with a single slip up, a single mispronunciation the incantation could be void and the life they were trying to save…. Sam's life could be lost to them forever….

"EGO dico vos continuo ex incendia of abyssus. EGO voco vos obviam vestri mos. Solvo him Olympus of obscurum. EGO dico vos continuo ex incendia of abyssus…."

He cast his eyes upward in Sam's direction never breaking pace with his reading.

His thrashing began to worsen his body rising all the way up off of the hospital gurney and then slamming down again with exceeding force as though there were literally a battle taking place just below the surface of his being. A battle that Sam was quickly losing.

_**Meanwhile**__**…**___

The taste of his own blood now thick in his throat Sam let out a shrill and final cry for help as her hand came in contact with his forehead….

The heat of the fire dissipating into a bitter cold, Sam could feel his insides shutting down, with a single touch from her hand his death was upon him…

Even as the flames surrounding her small frame grew and began to encompass him he was cold… so cold….

Fighting… struggling for breath after breath silent and unheard tears flew freely from his eyes…..

His mouth dry... His throat clenched

The demon before him had since fallen silent allowing the slowly fading beat of Sam's own heart, to be the only sound to be heard in the bitter nothingness.

His eyes wide with fear he no longer had a will of his own, he could not blink, he could not scream…

he could do nothing…

**Meanwhile….**

"NO!!!!" Dean's voice was anguished and shaking as his cry interrupted the incantation pouring from Bobby's lips.

The heart monitor above Sam's head flat lining, the ventilator seizing to rise again…

Sam's eyes flew open a petrified and distant stare coming to meet his brothers as

His lips parted below the oxygen mask his violent shaking quieting to a low tremble as tears began to work their way down his cheeks…

Dean knew he was letting go...

"Hold on Sammy... Please... Hold on..." He made no attempt to shield his emotions as tears matching those of Sam's fell from his eyes

In less than the blink of an eye the warmth of the dying man's flesh was a bitter cold….

Lax and lifeless...

Bobby's voice rose to be heard over the resounding wail of the monitors now filling the room, and the pounding of the doctor's and nurses against the wooden door on the far wall.

Silently as he continued to speak, he hoped against all hope that their answer had not come to late.

"…..ut visio vestri fatum quod vestri demise. Ut visio quod vos have commoror , permitto him requiro vengance super vos quod vindico ratio in vestri denique hora. .."

The florescent bulbs lighting the room crackled and popped descending it into darkness.

Then in a flash it was once again lit by lively and crackling electricity. Sparks and bolts a deeper red than any of them had ever laid eyes on before…

"Keep reading…." Ellen's words were strong, matching the shouts and pounds from the hallway, the door threatening to give way at any moment…

Dean moved quickly disconnecting the monitors and tubes surrounding his brother's now motionless body with unsteady hands, the adrenaline and fear rushing through his veins allowing him to lift Sam's body as though it were no more than feather as he braced it against his chest.

retrieving the knife from Dean's grasp Missouri slid the sharp blade against Sam's palm, his blood, Winchester blood bathing it's tip within seconds.

"EGO dico vos continuo ex incendia of abyssus. EGO dico vos continuo ex incendia of abyssus. EGO voco vos. Ostendo vestri."

As the last word was released from Bobby's lips the machines around the room began to dance wildly before bursting into flames...

Dropping the black leather book on to the now empty bed All four coherent body's in the room took only a second to brace themselves as the room that encompassed them began to shake as though they were experiencing a 10.0 earthquake.

A force stronger than any Dean had ever felt before knocking against him the young hunter slammed hard against the wall only a few feet away, but still he held tight to Sam refusing to release his hold.

Sam's body stiffened the hand dangling behind Dean's back gripping at the bottom of his red button up shirt and holding tight to it.

His limbs jerked, a strangled and forceful breath was taken in to his lifeless form and then released.

Vacant and still eyes slowly began to blink.

His body weak and wracked with overwhelming heaviness the tired and helpless man watched as the fire that had been engulfing him gave way to the comforting and warm face of Dean… His Dean… His brother….

"Dean…." That single word was small and unsure.

"It's not over yet little brother…" The man whispered relishing only for a moment in the breath of life that had once again been restored not only into Sam's soul but his own as well and blinking back tears….

A shrill and nearly deafening cry filled the air as the floor below them split down the center and just as he'd seen moments ago Sam's head lulled to watch as the fires of hell rose up from below and out of them formed an evil unlike anything any of them had ever seen before…

No longer was the form of a child before them, no longer was it's vessel that of human, it was an indescribable unspeakable evil.

No eyes…. No features…. Not of flesh or bone…. It simply was….

A chill ran through every person in the room as they looked upon it.

Every person that was except for Dean, whose Jaw locked in anger.

He reached forward, his brother still in his grasp holding him to his chest with one hand, he took the knife from Missouri with the other, "We have to kill it Sammy…. You have to kill it…." He informed the weak younger boy as he placed the knife in to trembling fingers and then wrapped his own protectively around it.

It had no where to go…. No way to escape…

Closing the gap and standing just outside the trap before them a look of satisfaction spread across the elder brother's features as together the Winchester men thrust the knife into the fugly bastard before them.

Into it's heart the blade tore.

The door on the other side of the room flew open and all who stood beyond it froze unbelieving of what their eyes were seeing….

The electrical charges faded, the shaking stopped and the fires of hell which had burned so bright and lively seconds before, were drug back where they came from, dragging with it Edo Animus and the evil it had brought upon them.

The knife fell to the floor with a clatter as fatigue wiped out what remained of Sam's strength, and there safely watched over by his protector, in his brothers grasp… Sleep over came him…

Bobby cast his eyes up to the figures still motionless in the doorway and smirked to himself, "I guess I have some explaining to do now don't I?"

"I'll help." Ellen offered as she watched Dean lower Sam back on to the bed beneath the machines that appeared as though they'd never been touched.

There was no crack in the floor, no ashes from the fire… Even the light bulbs had some how miraculously returned to their pervious form….

Perhaps the best thing about the supernatural world was that things weren't always what they appeared to be….

"Guys?" Dean whispered looking toward the two of them… "What about Meg?"

"I wouldn't worry about her…" Bobby's grin grew… "You see, that's the thing about demonic contracts, there bound by the soul… Demon or other wise… And since the bastard didn't get Sam's… It's gotta collect someone's."

Dean smiled to himself looking down at his brother now peacefully slumbering beside him,

"I told you I'd get you bitch…." He whispered Triumpantly, "Rest Sammy… You're safe now little brother...just rest…."

_So there you have it, I'm of course not to sure about how it ended, I personally feel it could of gone better, but it's done now, and I'll get the epilogue up as soon as I can I promise._

_**Latin Incantation Translation: **___

I call you forth from the fires of hell... I summon you against your will... Release him heaven of the darkness... I call you forth from the fires of hell to face your destiny and your demise... To face the which you have inhabited, to allow him to seek vengeance upon you and deliver judgment in your final hours... I call you forth from the fires of hell... I call you forth from the fires of hell... I summon you... Show yourself...


	11. Epilogue: The Days That Followed

-1**And A Child To Lead Him**

_Epilogue: The Days That Followed_

Sam slept restfully for over 76 hours his body and his soul repairing themselves from the events that had passed. Every now and again his lashes would flutter open and he'd take in a deep breath tilting his head to the side, his brother… his protector coming into view, offering him a sight that immediately would lull him back to sleep.

Although more relaxed and more at easy Dean continued to sit beside Sam, watching over him and making sure that he got the rest he not only needed, but that was well deserved. Thankful and relieved that they had managed to pull his baby brother back from the darkness that was so quickly devouring him.

As far as the doctors could tell there was no lasting physical damage done by the youngest Winchesters now non-existent condition. Amazingly, he'd pulled through without so much as a scratch…

Well not on the surface anyway.

Dean on the other had knew that emotionally they would not be so lucky, that the experiences of the past weeks would leave scars inside his brother that would take a long time to heal… if they ever healed at all….

Bobby had managed with the a little help from Ellen to convince the wide eyed doctor's who'd seen the exorcism at it's tale end, that they'd actually been witnessing a "religious healing ritual" passed down through the Foster family for years… And that Sam's sudden arousal and recovery was the product of such strong faith and belief.

What exactly was he supposed to tell them?

That a demon from hell had taken up residence in the boys subconscious torturing him endlessly until he was literally on the brink of death… and they had actually walked in right as the damn thing had been expelled from it's hiding place and was on it's way back to a fiery vacation?

Like anyone was going to believe that….

**March 26th 2008:**

With his sly tongue Dean was currently working Dr. Teague over convincing him that with Sam's current recovery, requiring no more than rest and nourishment, there was no reason for him to be cooped up inside stale walls any longer. Delivering him some shpiel about home life and how getting Sam back to regular living was the best thing for him. As if either of the remaining Winchesters even knew what a regular home was, or how to live in one….

Sam opened his eyes slowly and looked around the room, finding that he was still tucked safely between what had become familiar smelling white sheets he let a sigh of relief escape him.

Taking notice that Dean had moved from the chair that now permanently bore his butt print in it's cushion, the rested man sat up a little and looked around slowly and sorting out the images still invading his head.

He could still remember everything as though they were real memories the events of his "nightmare" playing themselves out again and again. They were filled with as much realism and clarity as any other memory he possessed inside himself, this was because, even if the world he'd been living in hadn't been real to anyone else…

It had been to him….

Leaning over wearily still weak and recovering his limbs slow moving, he reached into the drawer of the small stand next to his bed and pulled out his old brown leather wallet.

Opening the small dilapidated billfold he thought to himself how he really needed to replace it.

But he couldn't replace it, he wouldn't. It had been a gift… And it was the only gift he still had… The only thing he hadn't lost in the fire… His final connection to… Jess….

Fishing through the photos it held inside he stopped on the one he'd been searching for and studied it hard.

So beautiful, so lively, she'd truly been the most amazing person he'd ever known, his one and only true love…

And for a few days he'd had her back again….

She'd been with him.

Her sky blue eyes had looking into his, her sweet lips saying those three little words to him once again, such a small phrase that so many had taken for granted… Including himself a long time ago.

They'd had a second chance, neither one of them even aware their first had ever expired

He'd held her in his arms, loved her all over again…

Sam felt a single solitary tear slipping from his eye and reached up silently wiping it away.

He'd had her again… But he'd lost her again too.

Running his hand over the two dimensional figure before him his fingers shook .

He missed her so much… And now he knew he always would, He'd been given a taste of what should have been. A taste that against his tongue had seemed sweet and satisfying… But left behind a bitter long lasting flavor inside his throat.

The flavor of reality.

A deep breath escaping him after a moment of silence, he tucked the photo back into his wallet and slid it into the drawer once again. "Good-bye" He whispered to himself closing it.

Rubbing a hand over his face he rolled his neck from side to side and exhaled loudly once again, almost as though releasing these long held breaths were going to right the situation he seemed to be battling inwardly. Leaning back against the pillow once again and casting his eyes side ways Sam spotted a pale yellow piece of paper he hadn't noticed before placed on top of the before mentioned nightstand.

"What the…." He questioned softly reaching for it his brows furrowing together in question, the bold black letter head immediately alerting him as to what it was.

**D N R: Do Not Resuscitate Form of consent**

He felt his stomach drop down into his toes a chill of a different kind running through his spine and down every inch of his body.

Had it really come that far? Had he really been that close to dying? Had everyone… Had the doctors given up hope and written him off?

The thought as simple as it seemed, was a sobering and scary one…

Sam quickly closed his eyes unable to bare the sight of the thing any longer his own mortality never having been so real as it seemed at that very moment. Staring him down almost tauntingly, even though to the outside eye it seemed to be no more than meaningless words on a piece of meaningless paper.

He'd faced so much, faced so many unexplainable and demonic things and defeated every one of them no matter how big or how bad they seemed. Sure, he'd been close to defeat a few times, but never… never had death been so close that he could feel it's icy breath against his skin and hear it's hallowing whisper in his ears.

And then…. Only then had it truly hit him…

This time he's almost lost.

Opening his eyes again, forcing the thought to pass, pushing it down inside himself, he scanned the blur of computer printed words and brought his vision directly to the line at the bottom…

The line with the word Signature next to it…

The line that still remained blank.

Maybe not everyone had given up on him.

An unsure hint of a smile tugged at his lips as he heard the door open on the other side of the room, causing him out of instinct to tighten his grip on the small sheet of paper. Still shaken he forced his now slightly watering orbs to look in the direction of the man entering.. Managing a soft and hoarse, "Hey." before clearing his throat.

"You're up." The smile on Dean's face grew as he took in the sight of his brother's finally coherent and lively eyes looking at him.

"Yeah, well you know.. A person can only sleep for so long…"

"I was beginning to think you were going for some sort of new record…" The older of the two joked sliding back down into the seat that had wordlessly been declared his.

"What's that?" Sam asked seeing the paper work tucked beneath his brothers arm.

"Ah nothin'… Just your release papers."

"My what?" The surprised man asked puzzled as he sat up a little more and reached for them, "How the hell did you manage that so quickly?"

"Oh come on man you know I'm Matlock when it comes to these sort of things, I just used my impenetrable powers of persuasion to convince the doctor you'd be better off recovering at home."

Sam rolled his eyes dramatically, "Dean… We don't even have a home…"

"Yeah well, it might not be a home to some, but I saw a motel not to far and I figure it's got to be better than this place… I mean Ellen had said that we could you know… but I just didn't think you'd want to go back there…."

"Why not? What happened to me had nothing to do with The Roadhouse Dean… You said it yourself, it was a demon… A demon Meg sent after me."

Dean couldn't help the shocked expression that spread across his face.

"What?"

"Well… It's just your handling this better than I thought you would that's all…"

The end of Dean's statement died off as he noticed the moisture in his brothers puppy dog brown orbs, his fingers still holding tight to the DNR form. "Sam…" He whispered reaching for it. "What are you doing with that?"

The younger man cleared his throat again this time more as an uncomfortable gesture, than an attempt at clarity. "You- you didn't sign it."

"Of course I didn't sign it, come on man…" Sam could hear the uneasiness in his brother's tone as he crumpled the yellow paper almost angrily.

"Did you consider it?"

"What?!? Of course not, you know I'd never give up on you like that."

"But what if-"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Dean's tone was stern immediately halting the question and answer session before it really had a chance to begin. The truth of the matter being, that the thought and the reality of loosing Sam was still far to fresh in his mind to even think about. Desperate to change the subject he began again, "The doctor gave you a prescription that should restore you're appetite and help give you your strength back… So ummm, what do you say we blow this joint, get it filled and head on to the Roadhouse… If you're sure that's where you want to go…"

"I'm sure…"

"Good, I think Ellen would rather you be there anyway then she wouldn't have to actually drive anywhere to smother you with her mothering skills…"

"Ellen has mothering skills?"

"You'd be surprised."

Dean lowered his brother into one of the pharmacy waiting chairs of the local drug store and gave him the once over as Sam rested his head back tiredly against the wall and pulled his dark green Abercrombie hoodie tighter around himself. He was tired, he didn't quite understand how he could still be tired, but he was none the less as an exasperated sigh fell from his lips followed closely by a yawn.

"I'll be right back." Dean kept his voice low as not to disturb him before making his way up to the counter and handing the petite red head placed behind it the prescription with a charming Dean-like smile.

"This should be ready in about twenty minutes." She informed him returning his smile before continuing, "Does your brother have insurance?"

"Oh yeah, of course." Dean reached into his pocket and retrieved one of his many falsified insurance cards, the name on it matching that on the prescription paper. Samuel Foster. A name that after today Dean never wanted to think about or hear ever again.

"Okay, have a seat and we'll call you when it-"

"_Ring around the rosy _

_Pocket full of posies…"_

Dean froze his head snapping toward his brother who was now sitting up straight and ridged both of them sharing a horrified expression as the haunting nursery rhyme once again filled their ears.

Sam even in his weakened state was on his feet in a matter of a single second the two of them racing in the direction where it appeared to be coming from Dean's hand coming to grasp the gun he kept pressed against his stomach inside the waist of his pants as they ran.

Entering into the aisle both men froze as Dean dropped his hand, Sam nearly toppling over against his brother in exhaustion as they saw before them a child who could have been no more than three holding up a bright green stuffed frog in her mothers face, the object continuing to sing annoyingly loud throughout the isle.

"_Ashes… Ashes…._

_We all fall down…"_

"Poseee posseeee" They heard her imitate wide eyed and in unison they let out a sigh of relief shaking their heads and swallowing.

"Man…" Sam grunted feeling his brother's hand now come to his arm his heart finally beginning to regulate inside his chest,. "I hate nursery rhymes."

"Tell me about it…" Dean smirked before the two of them headed back to the pharmacy section ignoring the weird stares they were receiving from any and everyone surrounding them.

Pulling up to the road house, Dean helped his brother out of the car, not the least bit surprised when both Ellen and Bobby came to greet them with genuine smiles on their faces… Well for Bobby as much of a smile as he could ever seem to muster up.

"Well…look at you… you'll be back to kickin ass in no time kid." The eldest of the men chimed jokingly taking over Dean's position and helping Sam toward the small saloon. Unwilling to admit it felt good to drape his arm around the boy… To see for himself that he was warm and alive…

"Yeah…. Thanks to you… Thanks to all of you…"

"It was nothing. We'd do it again in a heartbeat sweetie." Ellen offered as she opened the door for all of them to enter.

"Yeah, well lets just hope you don't have to I prefer to keep-" As Sam stepped into the house his feet halted, his breath hitching his throat and steeling his voice as his eyes scanned the room a flood of emotion smacking into him like a blow to the gut, he inhaled sharply.

The window.

The jukebox.

The bird.

The demonic eyes of a child tearing into him as he hovered in the corner he now stood only a few feet from…

The terror of it all…

"Sam….You alright?" Dean's hand came to rest on his back worry filling his eyes.

Seconds of silence passed before as if being called back from some far off land Sam's eyes blinked a few times his head bobbing up and down. "Yeah…" He closed his eyes and rubbed them before opening them again. Rubbing away the fear and the imagery so that all that remained was a distant memory. " yeah I am now." He whispered able to feel the presence of every person surrounding him, a reminder and a comfort…

He was safe, and they would make sure he stayed that way.

**End.**

So there you have it, complete and finished. I hope it was all you'd hoped it would be and I thank all of you for following it and seeing it through, a whole new dramatic terror is on it's way so keep a look out for it!!!!

Rosebud


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